Analysts: Russian Satellite May Have Passed Within Hundreds of Meters of ICEYE Satellite on October 18

Analysts said, according to two analyses by LeoLabs and CSIS, that the Russian military satellite "Cosmos 2612" may have passed within a distance of hundreds of meters from the "ICEYE-X36" satellite in the early hours of October 18, marking the closest recorded approach between them to date.

Tracking data had placed the Russian satellite at a distance of about 3 miles, approximately 5 kilometers, from the commercial satellite by October 17, after closing the distance from about 295 miles in a few days, according to LeoLabs and CSIS. ICEYE stated that it had maneuvered its satellite in a previous incident, to which Russia responded with another maneuver.

The ICEYE-X36 satellite uses synthetic aperture radar to image the Earth at any time, including under clouds and in darkness, making it an important source of intelligence imagery. The incident highlights the risks of close encounters between military and civilian satellites in low Earth orbit.

ICEYE is a private, unlisted company operating in the field of Earth observation. This close approach comes at a time when Ukraine relies on commercial satellite imagery, including ICEYE images, to monitor the battlefield.

What Do These Terms Mean?

Synthetic Aperture Radar: A radar system that builds a high-resolution image of the Earth by transmitting radio waves and receiving their echoes, operating day and night and under clouds.

Low Earth Orbit: An orbital range located at an altitude of up to about 2,000 kilometers, used by observation and communication satellites because it is closer to Earth.

Private Company: A company whose shares are not traded on a public stock exchange, and is owned by founders and a limited group of investors.