Russian satellite plays 'cat-and-mouse' with a commercial US spacecraft likely used by Ukraine. But why the risky close encounter?

On November 21, 2023, Kosmos-2487, a Russian satellite, performed an unexpectedly proximate flyby of Planet Labs’ SkyLiable-5 satellite. This event occurred approximately 369 kilometers above the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 640 miles away. The proximity – less than 1 kilometer – raises concerns about potential interference with commercial space operations. Experts believe this action may be related to Ukraine's use of US satellites for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance purposes. The exact motivations behind Russia’s actions remain unclear but highlight escalating tensions in near-Earth orbit.