Inactive Soviet weather satellite breaks apart in low Earth orbit

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  The inactive Soviet-era weather satellite Meteor 2-7 broke apart in low Earth orbit on October 5, 2026.

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  LeoLabs detected an estimated tens of fragments near the satellite as it passed over a radar site in Western Australia.

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  The satellite was launched in 1981 and had been inactive for decades.

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  Experts said the breakup adds to a series of recent debris-generating events that raise concerns about risks to spacecraft.

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  The cause is unknown; experts have suggested an internal failure or a collision with another object.

Who

The satellite was Meteor 2-7, a Soviet-era weather satellite. LeoLabs detected the breakup.

What

The inactive satellite broke apart, producing an estimated tens of fragments.

When

October 5, 2026.

Where

Low Earth orbit, as the satellite passed over a LeoLabs radar site in Western Australia.

Why

The cause is unknown. Possible explanations include an internal failure or explosion, or a collision with another object.

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