Close approach · predicted from public data
YAOGAN-40 02C and COSMOS 2251 DEB: 142 m apart
YAOGAN-40 02C (satellite) and COSMOS 2251 DEB (debris) are predicted to pass 142 m apart at 2026-10-14 11:02 UTC, about 844 km up, closing at 13.3 km/s.
After this encounter passes we check fresh tracking data for a week and report here what happened.
The two objects
| Object | NORAD | Type | Latest orbit data | Data age at approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YAOGAN-40 02C | 63920 | working satellite | 2026-10-08 06:35 UTC | 6.2 d screening: 7.2 d |
| COSMOS 2251 DEB | 35062 | debris | 2026-10-05 17:46 UTC | 8.7 d screening: 8.7 d |
What this is, and is not
This is a prediction built from public orbit data, which is accurate to roughly a kilometre and comes without uncertainty estimates. Operators get better data and formal warnings, and may already have moved. A prediction of a few hundred metres is common and rarely ends in a collision; it is the sheer number of them that makes orbit dangerous.
Orbits are calculated in your browser with SGP4, the same model used to produce the data, from CelesTrak GP data (CCSDS OMM). Screening by CelesTrak SOCRATES Plus. Earth imagery: NASA Blue Marble.