Russian 'Inspector' spacecraft intercepted communications from a dozen European satellites, report claims — fears Moscow could even manipulate trajectories or crash satellites

European officials suspect that two Russian "Inspector" spacecraft in geostationary orbit have intercepted communications from around twelve European satellites, raising concerns about potential manipulation or crashes. The spacecraft, associated with the Luch program, have made risky approaches to critical European satellites, with one craft approaching 17 satellites since its 2023 launch. There are worries that unencrypted command data from older satellites could be exploited to interfere with satellite functions like trajectory control or altitude, posing significant risks in shared orbital slots. This activity blurs the line between intelligence gathering and interference, with European defense officials expressing concerns about Russian satellite shadowing and potential military space operations.