Commercial satellite supplying intel to Ukraine is cornered by four Russian spacecraft — US Space Force can only watch as Russia threatens 'quasi-civilian' targets
These Russian satellites are getting uncomfortably close to a U.S.- and European-operated radar satellite, particularly in Ukraine, used for reconnaissance missions. While their intentions are unclear, these maneuvers consume a lot of fuel and are not typically undertaken by other satellites.
Commercial satellite supplying intel to Ukraine is cornered by four Russian spacecraft — US Space Force can only watch as Russia threatens 'quasi-civilian' targets | Tom's Hardware
Skip to main content
Unlock world-class roadmaps & trusted Bench data. See More
× Unparalleled insights. Industry analysis. Insider access. Tom's Hardware Premium equips you with world-class coverage and detailed insights into the evolving hardware landscape.
✓Full access to our trusted Bench database: Access granular performance data instantly. ✓Exclusive hardware roadmaps: Peer into the future of the hardware industry. ✓Daily news analysis: Dive deep into the biggest stories.
Subscribe to our annual plan for just $29
Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands
Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful
An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
(Image credit: Kevin Stadnyk/Unsplash)
Copy link
X
Share this article
2
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter
Open-source orbital tracking data revealed that four Russian satellites have expended considerable fuel to approach an American-Finnish satellite. According to Integrity ISR (via LinkedIn), a U.S.-based defense and intelligence firm, Russian assets closed in on ICEYE-36, a radar satellite operated by ICEYE that delivers reconnaissance data to U.S. and European governments — including Ukraine, which uses the data as it defends itself against Russian aggression.The satellites executed co-planar maneuvering, placing them in the same orbital plane as ICEYE. The biggest concern here is that this maneuver is the first step in Rendezvous Proximity Operations (RPO), an operation in which one spacecraft (or a set, in this case) changes its flight path to get close to another. More concerningly, this move consumes a lot of fuel, with ISR saying it isn’t common for earth observation, signals intelligence, or communications. A fifth satellite is also reportedly making the same fuel-intensive move to match the orbital plane of the four other satellites.Their intentions are currently unclear, but Ars Technica reports that some U.S. officials believe that some of the Russian satellites are connected to an anti-satellite weapons program. In 2022, the Russian foreign ministry warned against using commercial satellites for military operations, with Deputy Director Konstantin Vorontsov for Nonproliferation and Arms Control saying, “Quasi-civilian infrastructure may be a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike.”Latest Videos FromStill, the Russian military is known for “saber rattling,” i.e., displaying its capabilities and making threatening moves without engaging in direct combat. It has done this since the Cold War, with Tu-95 “Bear” strategic bombers often probing Allied airspace and getting intercepted and escorted by NATO fighters. It seems that this activity is now extending into space, with the Russians previously sending military satellites into similar co-planar orbits that several National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Key Hole optical reconnaissance satellites use. There have also been concerns that Russian signals intelligence satellites have been intercepting European satellites and performing “risky close approaches.”Despite this, there’s still concern about what the Russians will do, especially as they recently launched a geosynchronous satellite suspected of being part of an anti-satellite system. The U.S. Space Force has responded by inspecting the spacecraft, although that’s about the only thing that it can do without risking a confrontation. After all, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty says that outer space is free for exploration and use by all States, meaning both sides can send their satellites close to each other, as long as they do not cause “harmful interference.”
Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware NewsletterGet Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
See all comments (2)
Jowi MoralesContributing WriterJowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics.
2 Comments
Comment from the forums
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/11/us-racing-build-space-weapons-counter-anti-satellite-power-china/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starshield
Reply
As expected, this has already gone off the rails.
Closing this.
Reply
View All 2 Comments
📰Originally published at tomshardware.com
Staff Writer