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Satellite trackers report that Russia's Cosmos 2612 spacecraft maneuvered close to and shadowed a U.S.-operated commercial radar-imaging satellite over several days. The targeted satellite is believed to support Ukrainian military operations. Analysts describe the behavior as unprecedented for this type of close-proximity tracking in orbit.
LeoLabs, a commercial space-tracking company, reported that Russia's Kosmos 2612 military satellite executed a deliberate rendezvous with ICEYE-X36, a US-operated commercial imaging satellite, closing from hundreds of kilometers to within roughly 2-3 kilometers and at times under 500 meters before moving away. The company said four of six satellites launched alongside Kosmos 2612 in April had adjusted their orbits to track ICEYE-X36, and described the close pass as a controlled approach, loitering period and departure consistent with sophisticated rendezvous and proximity operations.
Tracking data shows Russia's Cosmos 2612 military satellite performed a maneuver on October 16 that brought it within roughly 3 miles of ICEYE-X36, a US-registered synthetic aperture radar satellite, after previously keeping over 200 miles away. Satellite tracking firm LeoLabs called the move a deliberate approach of uncertain intent, and the maneuver was made without approval from ICEYE, which operates a satellite fleet that has supplied imagery to Ukraine since 2022.
NASA released a 360-page request for proposals asking US companies to develop commercial space stations that could replace the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit as early as 2030. Industry responses are due December 8, with NASA planning to select two or more contractors by April, each guaranteed at least $100 million in this initial phase.
Startup Xona Space Systems is set to launch six satellites this month, marking the debut of what it calls the first precision commercial alternative to GPS. Founded in 2019 by five Stanford-trained engineers, the company aims to sell more accurate, harder-to-jam positioning and timing signals than government-run systems like GPS, Galileo, BeiDou and GLONASS. CEO Brian Manning said the company built a new satellite architecture that avoids costly onboard atomic clocks by relying on close ground communication.
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On July 12, 1985, the launch of the Space Shuttle STS-51-F was halted at T−3 seconds due to a coolant valve malfunction in engine number two, leading to an automatic abort. The shuttle successfully launched on its second attempt on July 29, 1985, after a delay caused by uplink issues, but experienced an in-flight engine sensor failure that resulted in a lower-than-planned orbit. This was the only RS-25 engine failure during the shuttle program's operational history.
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Google will launch a prototype satellite to test how its Tensor Processing Units perform in orbit, part of Project Suncatcher, a research effort first announced last year. The initiative explores whether satellites in low Earth orbit, which can access near-constant sunlight and generate far more solar power than on Earth, could eventually host machine learning infrastructure.
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Air Force Secretary Troy Meink publicly acknowledged for the first time that the US now has 'space control weapons' already stationed in orbit, capable of defending military forces from hostile action. He declined to specify what the weapons are, when they were deployed, or whether they've been tested, citing deterrence concerns.