Plus: JAXA launched a Phobos sample return mission
Welcome to our roundup of top SpaceNews stories, delivered every Friday! This week, a Russian military satellite approached an Iceye spacecraft, Japan launched a sample return mission to Phobos, the Space Force is eyeing an expansion in the Middle East command and more.
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OUR TOP STORY
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By Sandra Erwin A Russian military satellite appears to have made an exceptionally close approach to a commercial radar-imaging spacecraft operated by Iceye.
Russia’s Cosmos 2612 maneuvered to within roughly 500 meters of an Iceye satellite before moving away, estimated the U.S. space-tracking company LeoLabs.
Cosmos 2612 spent several days maneuvering around Iceye X36, at times moving ahead of and behind the satellite rather than simply passing it, LeoLabs said in an Oct. 19 report based on observations from its global radar network. The company said its latest tracking showed the spacecraft moving apart and that the close-proximity activity had ended.
The precise minimum distance remains uncertain because of the repeated maneuvers and difficulties tracking two objects in such close proximity. LeoLabs said the behavior was consistent with deliberate rendezvous and proximity operations, though the Russian spacecraft’s intentions remain unclear.
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FROM SPACENEWS |
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Artificial intelligence is changing how intelligence organizations collect, process and exploit satellite imagery. As the volume of Earth observation data grows, AI is becoming essential for identifying patterns, detecting anomalies and delivering intelligence at operational speed. Join SpaceNews and Vantor on Thursday, Oct. 29 for a conversation that will explore how machine learning is transforming the GEOINT mission across defense, intelligence and commercial markets. Register now. |
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CIVIL
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Ahead of a NASA update on its Artemis lunar exploration plans, members of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, the agency’s safety advisers expressed concerns about the maturity of those plans. One key concern was the need for multiple in-space refuelings of a lunar lander.
Detailed engineering studies have confirmed that the Orion heat shield on the Artemis 2 mission performed as expected, without the erosion seen on Artemis 1.
Ukraine is exploring plans to build its own satellite communications network with two Finnish technology companies, Iceye and Nokia, as restrictions on SpaceX services disrupt Ukrainian military operations and raise questions about the country’s dependence on U.S. commercial satellites.
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MILITARY
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Brig. Gen. Todd Benson, commander of U.S. Space Forces-Central, said Oct. 19 that his organization needs more personnel to plan military operations, participate in targeting and coordinate with other services as demand for space capabilities grows across U.S. Central Command.
The U.S. Space Force is preparing to hire contractors to maintain and support global deployments of as many as 56 satellite-jamming systems used to disrupt adversaries’ communications.
The U.S. Space Force is moving to acquire its first military capabilities designed for the vast reaches between Earth and the moon, setting a goal of fielding an initial system by late 2029 as Pentagon leaders describe cislunar space as a future battlefield. |
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FROM SPACENEWS |
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Just announced – Gen. Michael Guetlein at the 2026 Icon Awards: The direct reporting program manager for Golden Dome for America joins us on Dec. 1 in Washington, D.C. to deliver a keynote address during our awards program. See the list of finalists and secure your spot as we gather to announce our 2026 winners, recognizing leaders and accomplishments that exemplified excellence across the industry during the last 12 months. Register today – early bird pricing ends Oct. 31. |
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LAUNCH
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Japan has launched an ambitious mission that will be the first to attempt to return samples from a moon of Mars. JAXA aims to have the Martian Moons Exploration, or MMX, spacecraft collect at least 10 grams of samples to return to Earth in 2031.
Hainan Commercial Spacecraft Launch Site is soon set to bring online pads 3 and 4 near Wenchang on the island province of Hainan, expanding possibilities for launch. The two general-purpose pads are for liquid propellant launchers, allowing a greater range of rocket types to launch from the facilities.
The U.S. Space Force wants its busiest launch ranges to eventually handle surges of five to eight major operations a day under a modernization plan aimed at keeping aging infrastructure from becoming a constraint on space activity. |
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