The concerns centre on two Russian spacecraft, widely referred to as Luch-1 and Luch-2, which have been observed operating in geostationary orbit, around 36,000km above Earth, where many commercial, government and defence communications satellites are positioned.

Officials monitoring orbital activity say the spacecraft have repeatedly moved into close proximity with European satellites, placing themselves within narrow signal paths between satellites and ground stations.

By doing so, they may have been able to intercept data being transmitted, including satellite command and control signals. While there is no public evidence that any systems were disrupted or compromised, European officials believe the activity highlights how exposed older satellites can be to interception from nearby spacecraft.

The issue is less about a single incident and more about what it reveals. Many satellites currently supporting Europe’s communications ecosystem, from broadcast and maritime connectivity to government services, were launched years ago, before hostile activity in orbit was widely anticipated. As a result, some lack the level of encryption and cyber-resilience now considered necessary in an increasingly contested space environment.

For the connectivity industry, the implications go beyond national security given commercial satellite capacity underpins mobile backhaul, aviation and maritime links, emergency services and enterprise connectivity across Europe. Any perception that those assets could be monitored or interfered with raises questions for operators, customers and insurers alike.

The activity also reflects a broader shift in how space is viewed by governments and defence planners. Orbit isn’t just treated as a neutral domain but as an extension of geopolitical competition on Earth. European officials have repeatedly warned that Russia and China are developing capabilities to shadow, jam or interfere with satellites operated by Western nations.

Germany is among those responding with a significant increase in military space spending, including investment in encrypted satellite networks and defensive technologies designed to protect space assets from interference.

Other European states are also reassessing how reliant they are on ageing satellite systems, and whether future capacity should be designed with security as a core requirement rather than an add-on.

RELATED STORIES

SpaceX acquires xAI for $125bn as Musk bets AI compute will move to space within 3 years

Starlink becomes lifeline and liability as Iran targets satellite internet