LeoLabs Detects New Debris Around Soviet-Era Meteor 2-7 Satellite
The derelict weather satellite, launched in 1981, shed dozens of fragments as it passed over a Western Australia observatory, LeoLabs said.
LeoLabs said it detected dozens of new debris fragments around the derelict Soviet-era Meteor 2-7 weather satellite, which it observed as the spacecraft passed over its Western Australia observatory. The company did not give an altitude or fragment count beyond "dozens."
In a post on X, LeoLabs described the detection as the most recent in a series of fragmentation events it has observed over the past six months.
Meteor 2-7 was launched in 1981. Space debris expert Jim Shell noted on X that the satellite also fragmented in March 2004, when the breakup occurred at an altitude of about 855 km.
The new fragments add to a debris population that has grown steadily in Earth orbit. The European Space Agency said it was tracking about 16,000 objects in 2005, a figure that by 2026 exceeded 44,000 — a rise of roughly 180%.
An active stretch for orbital breakups
Meteor 2-7 is not an isolated case. In September, the Cold War-era US spy satellite USA 32 was confirmed to have broken apart, and in late August a Chinese rocket body disintegrated in low Earth orbit. About four months earlier, a SpaceX Starlink satellite also fragmented, and in January a Russian reconnaissance satellite disintegrated in much higher geostationary orbit.
The rising debris count has coincided with more avoidance work by operators. According to a semi-annual report SpaceX submitted to the FCC earlier this year, Starlink satellites performed more than 40 collision-avoidance maneuvers per satellite per year between June 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026. SpaceX has repeatedly stated plans to place 1 million data-center satellites in orbit.
Debris has also struck crewed hardware. In February of this year, at China's Tiangong space station, debris damaged the spacecraft intended to return three astronauts, leaving them without a return vehicle for 10 days.
Quick answers
What is Meteor 2-7?
Meteor 2-7 is a Soviet-era weather satellite launched in 1981. It is derelict and has fragmented at least twice, according to debris expert Jim Shell, who noted it broke up in March 2004 as well.
Who detected the new debris around Meteor 2-7?
LeoLabs said it detected the fragments as the satellite passed over its Western Australia observatory, describing the event as the latest in a series of fragmentations seen over the past six months.
Are there other recent satellite breakups in orbit?
Yes. In September the US spy satellite USA 32 was confirmed to have broken apart, and in late August a Chinese rocket body disintegrated in low Earth orbit.