A Russian satellite long suspected of spying on foreign military spacecraft has been retired to a so-called “graveyard orbit,” signalling the end of its active life after more than a decade in service.
Slingshot Aerospace announced that its analysts had tracked a series of manoeuvres by Russia’s Luch (Olymp) satellite, also known by its NORAD ID 40258, throughout October 2025. These movements placed the satellite about 300 kilometres above the geostationary belt, a region used to dispose of inactive satellites safely.
The company said the satellite has remained in this higher orbit since 21 October, confirming that it has effectively been decommissioned.
A Notorious Satellite With a Suspicious Past
Launched on 27 September 2014, Luch (Olymp) was designed for communications and data relay but quickly drew international concern. Western space agencies and analysts accused it of “loitering” dangerously close to commercial and military satellites, which is behaviour that was seen as attempts at surveillance or intelligence gathering.
The spacecraft reportedly manoeuvred near sensitive targets, including U.S. and European military communication satellites, prompting accusations that it was spying on their signals. Its unusual and persistent proximity to other satellites earned it a reputation as one of Russia’s most enigmatic orbital assets.
Retirement Signals the End of an Era
According to Slingshot Aerospace, “the manoeuvres indicate decommissioning as Luch (Olymp) approaches the end of its expected operational lifespan.” The satellite, now 11 years old, was built with a design life of around 15 years.
Its successor, Luch (Olymp) 2, remains active in geostationary orbit, continuing Russia’s presence in high-altitude communications and monitoring operations.
Tracking the Satellite’s Final Movements
Slingshot Aerospace shared data showing changes in the satellite’s perigee altitude from 1 September to 27 October, derived from its global sensor network. The company’s AI-driven orbital monitoring tools were used to detect and confirm the sequence of manoeuvres leading up to Luch’s relocation.
The move to graveyard orbit officially ends one of the most watched and controversial missions in modern orbital history — a satellite that, for over a decade, kept both space agencies and defence operators around the world on alert.
