Russian satellite conducts unsanctioned proximity maneuver near commercial spacecraft

A Russian military satellite maneuvered into extreme proximity with a commercial Earth-imaging satellite in low Earth orbit, Ars Technica Space reported. The orbital intelligence company LeoLabs reported that the Russian spacecraft, designated Kosmos 2612, executed a deliberate series of maneuvers toward ICEYE-X36, an uncrewed radar-imaging satellite operated by a company in the United States. [1]

LeoLabs stated that Kosmos 2612 closed in from hundreds of kilometers away to get extremely close to ICEYE-X36, Ars Technica Space reported. The Russian satellite then maneuvered around the imaging spacecraft and stayed nearby for an extended period before beginning to move away. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty also reported on the close encounter between the Russian military satellite and the spacecraft used by Ukraine. [1][2]

Ars Technica Space reported that the event marks the first known example of an unsanctioned rendezvous in low Earth orbit. United States military officials and independent analysts have tracked Kosmos 2612 since its launch in April. [1]