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Russian Military Satellite Closes In On US Radar Satellite Linked To Ukraine

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A Russian military satellite is shadowing a radar satellite that Ukraine reportedly relies on, and the distance between them is disputed.

For more than three days, Kosmos 2612 has flown in near-formation with the US satellite ICEYE-X36 used by Ukraine. The operation sets a new precedent in space. Experts worry about escalation as Russia’s goal remains unclear.
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, launch site 43/4 for Soyuz-2.1v and Soyuz-2.1b rockets. Satellite image by Planet Labs: 18 October 2026. Analysis by Vertical52.

For three days, one of Russia’s military satellites has been doing something unseen in low Earth orbit: It has pulled up alongside a US commercial satellite at low relative speed and proceeded to stay close. Satellite shadowing manoeuvres are common, but never before has a Russian spy satellite come this close to another state’s space infrastructure for such an extended period of time.Similar operations have proliferated in recent months, as countries seem to prepare for potential conflicts in space. A month ago, the US military confirmed it has deployed weapons in orbit. There is extensive documentation of Chinese satellites shadowing Western space objects or practicing close proximity manoeuvres with their own satellites.

In July, The Insider and Der Spiegel reported on a Chinese-Russian plan to limit or destroy SpaceX Starlink infrastructure. This recent operation targets the satellite ICEYE-X36, registered in the US and providing radar data to Ukraine.

How close was the Russian satellite? Thursday 15 October, Axios reported that Russia’s Kosmos 2612 was detected more than 320 kilometres from ICEYE-X36. By Friday afternoon, their distance was about 5 kilometres – close proximity for objects moving at many kilometres per second. The latest orbital data projected that Kosmos 2612 would position itself closest to the US-registered satellite yesterday afternoon.
Proximity estimation by Cosmos Radar, as of 1.11pm UTC. Source: Cosmos Radar.

The analysis portal Cosmos Radar estimates a proximity of just 26 meters. Jonathan McDowell, a satellite tracking expert consulted by Vertical52, could not confirm the number: “With open-source data we can only confidently determine distance within an error margin of up to 2000 meters”, said the astronomer and astrophysicist.
Distance calculations by satellite tracking expert Marco Langbroeck. Source; X.

McDowell described the operation as unprecedented and the closest uninvited rendezvous they had observed in Low Earth Orbit. Though earlier Kosmos satellites stalked US satellites too, they stayed at a distance of tens and hundreds of kilometers.  “This is different. This is close, low velocity, low orbit. They’ve matched orbits”, said the astrophysicist.

Yesterday afternoon, the Russian spy satellite was projected to come closer to ICEYE-X36 than any other foreign satellite before. Kosmos 2612 was launched from Plesetsk in April alongside other military satellites. Since then, it has orbited in close proximity to ICEYE-X36 and other satellites of the same programme. The operation seems to have been in the making for months. In May, several of them shifted the tilt of their orbits into ICEYE-X36’s orbital plane. They then passed by it at 13 to 18 kilometers, according to analysis by Integrity ISR reported by Meduza.

The US Space Force described the incident in May: “Russia executed fuel-intensive orbital manoeuvres to position four military satellites (Cosmos 2610 through 2613) close to a Western commercial radar satellite used by Ukraine for imagery intelligence.” Over the summer, there were no other noticeable manoeuvres by the Kosmos fleet.

Then, on 30 September, a new burn began – “clearly designed to bring the two objects very close and synchronise their orbital periods, orbital altitude, and eccentricity”, wrote Marco Langbroek, a Dutch satellite tracking expert. What is Russia’s goal? The motive behind Russian spy satellites’ escalation in proximity remains unclear. Payloads, the contents a satellite carries to space, are mostly undetectable through open-source data. This leaves room for speculation. The Center for Strategic and International Studies does not rule out on-orbit weapon use, while Langbroek expressed worries about the satellite’s behaviour. Kosmos 2612’s operation is one sign of the hybrid war Russia wages against Ukraine and NATO is spreading into space.

The manoeuvre aligns with leaked documents that plan the destruction of Starlink space infrastructure. In July, The Insider and Der Spiegel reported on a leaked Russian-Chinese military strategy presentation. The documents described a “joint plan to defeat Elon Musk’s Starlink and a weapons development partnership”.
Satellite tracker and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell currently sees no indication of an obliteration of the US-registered satellite: “My interpretation is that this is an inspection mission, studying it, trying to measure characteristics, maybe try jamming the satellite”. It would not make sense to physically attack the satellite at such low speed.

For the Silo, Luis Beyerbach.

Sci-Tech

President Trump Launches US Space Force Academy

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President Trump, who founded the U.S. Space Force in 2019, has announced plans for a U.S. Space Academy to train future leaders of America’s pioneering space missions.

Trump signed an executive order establishing the Space Academy last month during an August 28 ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“Given the rapid growth of the U.S. Space Force and commercial space industry, and the expansion of our ambitions to the moon and far beyond … it’s clear we will need to educate and train an entire generation of skilled service members, engineers, and civil operators,” the president said.

Space Is Critical To US

The order describes space as critical “for U.S. national security, economic growth, scientific discovery and technological innovation.”

During the August 28 ceremony, Trump also awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the crew of the Artemis II mission — NASA’s Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman, and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen. Their April flight around the moon set a record for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth.

President Trump holding executive order (NASA/John Kraus)
President Trump presents an executive order establishing the U.S. Space Academy August 28 at Johnson Space Center in Houston. (NASA/John Kraus)

The only nation to land a man on the moon, the United States remains at the forefront of human space exploration. Through the Artemis program, established in Trump’s first term, NASA will return astronauts to the moon and pave the way for a moon base that will serve as a jumping-off point for future human spaceflight to Mars.

The president has prioritized America’s leading role in space exploration. He launched the Artemis Accords, a nonbinding set of principles to guide civil space exploration. Over 70 nations have signed onto the accords.

In August, Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum to reinvigorate U.S. leadership in space transportation , calling on federal agencies to promote space transportation capabilities and facilitate commercial transportation to the moon and Mars.

U.S. Space Force brigadier general swearing 5 officers into Space Force (U.S. Air Force/Technical Sergeant Michael Campbell)
U.S. Space Force Brigadier General Matthew Holston swears new officers into the U.S. Space Force at the Pentagon. (U.S. Air Force/Technical Sergeant Michael Campbell)

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will lead a commission that will advise the president on creating the Space Academy, including degree programs, experiential training and service obligations for graduates. The academy will combine “rigorous technical education with leadership development, discipline, and a durable commitment to public service,” the order says.

A Transitional Step

Isaacman called plans for the Space Academy “a transformational step” for future NASA missions to return astronauts to the lunar surface, build a moon base and advance science and discovery. “I have no doubt that so much of the future talent that will graduate and contribute to these exciting endeavors will be educated at the United States Space Academy,” he said.

Where To Sign Up

Finance

Metaverse Trademark Applications Surging

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Over 5,800 Metaverse Trademark Applications Filed Last Year = Surging 200% Year-Over-Year

In 2022, there was a significant surge in trademark applications related to the Metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), indicating the growing importance and potential profitability of these emerging industries.

According to data collected by Blockchain Centre, there were 5,850 new Metaverse trademark applications and 7,746 NFT trademark applications registered last year.

This represents a growth rate of 205.64% and 259.61%, respectively, from the previous year. The monthly trends for trademark registrations steadily increased throughout the year, with at least 300 new applications filed every month.

Increasing interest in the Metaverse

Many big companies, including Meta, Formula One, Mastercard, McDonald’s, Gatorade, and the US Space Force, have also filed applications with the USPTO in 2022, indicating their interest in virtual products and involvement with crypto and blockchain.

The rise in trademark applications related to the Metaverse and NFTs has prompted an investigation by the US Patent and Trademark Office and US Copyright Office to examine how NFTs impact intellectual property rights.

According to the research:

“Recently, several prominent brands have faced challenges when their intellectual property or products were infringed upon by NFT marketplaces or platforms.”

Despite the ongoing ‘crypto winter’, the rise in trademark applications and growing interest in metaverse products have served as a counterbalance to concerns that the market is being negatively impacted. For the Silo, Lina Alisauskaite.