Inactive Soviet weather satellite breaks apart in low Earth orbit

An inactive Soviet weather satellite broke apart in low Earth orbit on October 5, 2026, creating dozens of new debris fragments. EarthSky reported that space tracking company LeoLabs detected the fragmentation using its radar network. The breakup adds tens of new trackable pieces to an increasingly crowded orbital environment. [1]

LeoLabs detected multiple objects near the defunct satellite, known as Meteor 2-7, after the craft passed over a radar facility located in Western Australia. EarthSky noted that follow-up observations from additional radar sites subsequently confirmed that a debris-generating event had taken place. [1]

The Meteor series consisted of Soviet-era meteorological spacecraft placed in low Earth orbit. EarthSky reported that the newly generated debris fragments from Meteor 2-7 now pose potential collision risks to other operational spacecraft operating in nearby orbital regimes. [1]