BRIEFLY.
Russian Satellites
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1 min read
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Briefly Editorial Team

Russian Satellites

TL;DR

  • •Russian satellites changed the inclination of their orbits
  • •Satellites are at a distance of 500 meters to 22 kilometers from ICEYE-X36

Why it matters

This situation shows the growing interest of leading countries in technologies for controlling and interacting with satellites in low Earth orbit

Technical Details

Russian satellites of the Cosmos series have shown unusual activity in Earth's orbit. Four spacecraft (Cosmos-2610 - Cosmos-2613), launched on April 16 on the Soyuz-2.1b rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, simultaneously changed the inclination of their orbits. These maneuvers are extremely energy-intensive and are performed only with a specific goal - to get on the same trajectory as the object being pursued.

Context and Background

Currently, Russian spacecraft are at a distance of 500 meters to 22 kilometers from ICEYE-X36. The fifth Russian satellite from the same group has also begun to approach. Experts note that such maneuvers are usually carried out only in the presence of specific tasks for testing or observation.

Industry Impact

ICEYE-X36 belongs to Earth observation radar satellites. Such devices are capable of receiving detailed images of the surface regardless of weather and time of day with a resolution of up to 16 cm. The ICEYE company cooperates with a number of government and commercial structures. Specialists suggest that the actions of Russian spacecraft may be related to so-called "approach operations" - a practice in which satellites approach each other for observation, inspection or development of precise maneuvering technologies in orbit.