Nosy neighbors in space are becoming a problem.Russian “inspector” satellites are once again in the spotlight after evidence emerged that two spacecraft have been maneuvering unusually close to critical communications satellites in orbit, raising concerns across the wider tech and satellite industries about surveillance, signal interception, and the growing militarization of orbital infrastructure.According to defense and intelligence sources, the satellites, known as Luch-1 and Luch-2, have been conducting sustained proximity operations near European government and commercial satellites and are believed to be part of Russia’s “inspector” satellite program.
Orbital tracking data shows that Luch-2 has approached at least 17 European satellites since its March 2023 launch.Most of this activity is taking place in geostationary orbit, or GEO, the band of space about 36,000 kilometers above Earth where satellites match the planet’s rotation and remain fixed over specific regions.Importantly, this is where some of the most valuable infrastructure in the modern tech ecosystem is.
Because GEO is prime real estate for telecommunications, military command links, television broadcasting, weather monitoring, and secure government data transmission, this motion matters.Any satellite operating nearby can, in theory, observe signal patterns, monitor emissions, or even interfere with operations.So when a foreign satellite starts maneuvering nearby, operators take notice.
Signals intelligence operations in orbit European security officials believe the Luch satellites have intercepted communications from over a dozen satellites serving the continent.To break it down, satellites communicate with Earth using radio beams.In that process, a spacecraft sits within the narrow uplink or downlink beams that connect ground stations to satellites.
By positioning itself within the beam path, a spacecraft can potentially capture transmitted signals, particularly if encryption protections are weak.This type of activity falls under signals intelligence (SIGINT), a form of eavesdropping on electronic communications.Doing this from orbit offers persistent coverage and access to high-value data flows, and the concern isn’t limited to military systems.
Some of the satellites reportedly shadowed belong to commercial operators like Intelsat, whose fleet supports both private companies and government customers.That dual-use is what concerns policymakers and tech leaders alike, as modern defense operations rely heavily on commercial satellite bandwidth, cloud connectivity, and relay services.Disrupting commercial satellites can have serious ripple effects on military operations, emergency services, aviation communications, and even the timing of financial transactions.
Jamming, cybersecurity, and orbital risk Officials are also concerned about more direct interference.Satellites operating in close proximity could theoretically attempt electronic jamming, signal spoofing, or even physical disruption.Although no collisions have been reported thus far, the maneuvering demonstrates capability, which is changing how nations consider their orbital security.
UK Space Command has already reported regular jamming attempts against British military satellites.Electronic warfare in orbit typically involves injecting noise into communications links or attempting to disrupt the integrity of data transmissions.Newer satellites are being equipped with technology to counter all of this.
Frequency hopping, adaptive antennas, and hardened encryption are just a few examples of anti-jamming technology, but protections vary widely, especially among older commercial platforms still in service.After all, for the broader technology industry, modern digital life is dependent on orbital infrastructure.Satellite networks support cloud connectivity in remote regions, global internet coverage, GPS navigation, IoT deployments, and broadcast media distribution.
Even financial markets rely on satellite timing signals for transaction synchronization.As a result, organizations are expanding radar and optical monitoring networks to better understand who is maneuvering where.Governments and private companies are accelerating investment in space domain awareness, which refers to systems that can track, map, and predict satellite movements and detect suspicious maneuvers in real time.
Satellite cybersecurity is being prioritized, and encryption is now seen as mission-critical infrastructure protection.At the policy level, regulators and defense alliances are beginning to discuss norms for satellite proximity operations.What it means for the space industry In the “space” space, there’s also a push toward proliferated constellations in low Earth orbit.
Unlike GEO systems, which rely on a limited number of high-value assets, distributed networks offer redundancy and are harder to disrupt.Moreover, this raises the question of what is truly “allowed” in space, with the growing discussion around orbital norms and traffic rules.As of now, there are few enforceable regulations governing how closely one satellite can approach another.
This regulatory gap could become a greater issue as maneuverable spacecraft become more common.Communications infrastructure in orbit now exists at the convergence of cybersecurity, defense strategy, and global connectivity.And for tech leaders and satellite operators, orbital security is now inseparable from cybersecurity.
Also read: A Verizon outage that hit around 180,000 users shows how quickly communications infrastructure problems can ripple outward.Subscribe to the Cybersecurity Insider Newsletter Strengthen your organization's IT security defenses by keeping abreast of the latest cybersecurity news, solutions, and best practices.Delivered every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Subscribe to the Cybersecurity Insider Newsletter Strengthen your organization's IT security defenses by keeping abreast of the latest cybersecurity news, solutions, and best practices.
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