Russian Satellite Approaches US Satellite in Orbit | Ratopati

Kathmandu. The impact of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has started to be seen in space as well. It has been observed that the Russian military satellite 'Cosmos-2612' has repeatedly changed its orbit, attempting to get very close to the US-registered commercial radar imaging satellite 'ICEYE-X36'.

This satellite provides data to Ukraine. It has been found that the distance between the two satellites at an altitude of approximately 550 kilometers is a few kilometers or even less, which is considered very dangerous.

According to astronomer and professor at TU Delft, Marco Langbroek, on the night of October 17, 2026, both satellites were within one to two kilometers of each other.

Tracking company LeoLabs has also confirmed that the Russian satellite deliberately moved towards 'ICEYE-X36'. It stated that the Russian satellite, which was hundreds of kilometers away the day, suddenly came within a few kilometers the day.

This distance is considered dangerous because satellites orbit the Earth's lower orbit at a speed of approximately 27,358 kilometers per hour.

Cosmos-2612, along with several other Russian satellites, was launched in April 2026. In May, some of these changed their orbits and came to the same level as 'ICEYE-X36'. In October, Cosmos-2612 was observed to increase its altitude, wait, and then descend again to get close to the target. Since this process consumes a lot of fuel, it is seen as a planned move rather than an accidental one.

It is said that the Russian satellite is capable of spying, jamming signals, damaging sensors with lasers, and even physical attacks. Although Russia's objective is not clear, it is estimated that targeting a satellite that aids Ukraine could be part of its military strategy.

'ICEYE' is a Finnish-American company, whose X36 satellite can capture clear images of the Earth even in clouds and darkness using synthetic aperture radar technology. The Ukrainian army uses it to obtain intelligence information from the war zone.

Some say that this development in space presents a new example of space warfare. Previously, satellites were mainly used for surveillance or communication. Now, they have started actively pursuing each other. The United States, Europe, and other countries are alarmed by such activities of Russian satellites. They are taking this seriously.

This specific news has been automatically translated by AI. As a result, there may be some inaccuracies or language errors.

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