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Russia recently maneuvered one of its satellites into close proximity with France’s Eutelsat 3B communications satellite, sparking concerns of potential espionage. On October 5, the Russian satellite, known as Luch-5X or Olymp-K-2, slowed down when it came within 60 kilometers (37 miles) of another satellite in geostationary orbit. The US intel firm Slingshot Aerospace predicted the satellite’s stopping point, which turned out to be in close proximity to the Eutelsat 3B satellite, according to Audrey Schaffer, the vice president for strategy and policy at Slingshot Aerospace.

Eutelsat’s 3B satellite, designed by Airbus in France, provides various services, including broadband, data, telecom, and video services, across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America. This is not the first time that Luch-5X/Olymp-K-2 has approached a satellite in this manner. In the past, it came near Eutelsat’s 9B satellite, which offers satellite coverage for TV channels in Europe, raising concerns about potentially unfriendly behavior.

While the distance between Luch-5X/Olymp-K-2 and the unidentified commercial satellite is not close enough to pose a collision threat, security experts are worried about possible spying activities. It is uncertain what the payload of Luch-5X/Olymp-K-2 entails, but analysts believe it likely possesses advanced signals intelligence capabilities and operational techniques.

This behavior by Russia is reminiscent of a previous incident in 2015 involving another Luch Olymp Russian spacecraft that approached commercial intelligence satellites from the US firm Intelsat. The developments raise concerns about the security implications of having a Russian satellite in close proximity to sensitive communication networks.

While it is not clear what the intentions of Luch-5X/Olymp-K-2 are, the potential security threat it poses is significant. Commercial communication satellite companies may be apprehensive about the possibility of a Russian spy satellite intercepting their communications. The situation highlights the need for increased vigilance and security measures in space operations to protect against potential espionage activities.

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