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RussiaCOSMOS 1998NORAD 19789 · launched Feb 1989Military payload
1.60kmPredicted miss distance
United StatesDELTA 1 DEBNORAD 7050 · launched Nov 1973Debris
Live forecastConfirmed by the latest screening, 15 Nov 16:36 UTC.
Closest approach16 Nov 202614:59 UTC
Relative speed7.99 km/sat the closest approach
Altitude1,401 kmlow Earth orbit
Separation now—live
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RU COSMOS 1998 and US DELTA 1 DEB are predicted to reach a closest approach of 1.60 km at 2026-11-16 14:59 UTC, at a relative speed of 7.99 km/s. Confirmed by the latest screening, 15 Nov 16:36 UTC. This is a cross-border encounter between objects of different nations. Miss distance and time of closest approach are computed by propagating the latest published orbital elements for both objects, and each pass is re-checked every 20 minutes as new element sets are published. See the Satellite Maneuver Tracker for the live picture and space situational awareness for context.

Why it mattersOne side of this pass cannot maneuver, so any avoidance decision rests with the other operator. Screening continues as new element sets arrive.

The Two Objects

Dossiers from the satellite directory
COSMOS 1998Payload
NORAD 19789
CountryCIS
Launched1989-02-10
OrbitLEO · 1,391 × 1,414 km
COSPAR1989-009E
Maneuver capableUnknown
Profile →Globe →
DELTA 1 DEBDebris
NORAD 7050
CountryUS
Launched1973-11-06
OrbitLEO · 1,392 × 1,468 km
COSPAR1973-086AS
Maneuver capableNo
Uncontrolled debris fragment tracked by the public catalogue. About space debris →
Profile →Globe →

Where This Happens

Altitude context
DEBRIS BELT 700–1000 KM2006001,0001,5002,000 kmTHIS PASS · 1401 KMISS 420Starlink 550

At 1401 km this pass sits in low Earth orbit. Objects here stay up for decades: there is too little atmospheric drag to clean the band naturally. Why crowded bands matter →

History Between This Pair

1 predicted pass under 10 km
Pair history · COSMOS 1998 ⟷ DELTA 1 DEB
2026-11-16 14:591.60 km Live forecast7.99 km/s1,401 kmShown above

Repeat encounters are common for objects in near-intersecting orbital planes. Each pass is re-screened as fresh element sets arrive; "Final forecast" means the screening still predicted it within 45 minutes of its time, "Not re-confirmed" means later screening stopped finding it.

Forecast Record

Every figure published for the pass shown above, newest first. Nothing is overwritten: a withdrawn forecast keeps its figure, with the newer check beside it, and the best estimate after the pass is a row of its own.
Computed · figure · predicted time · orbit data · by
15 Nov 15:35 UTC1.60 km Forecast16 Nov 14:59 UTC15 Nov 03:29 UTCRe-check
15 Nov 15:15 UTC5.91 km Forecast16 Nov 14:59 UTC15 Nov 03:29 UTCScreen

These Objects Elsewhere

Other screened approaches · 7 days
1.70 km11-12 00:44 UTC
COSMOS 2115DELTA 1 DEB
2.85 km11-13 23:03 UTC
COSMOS 1998COSMOS 1691 DEB
4.30 km11-11 14:31 UTC
COSMOS 1998COSMOS 2304

How These Numbers Are Computed

Miss distance and TCA come from propagating the latest published orbital elements for both objects and searching for the minimum separation over the screening window. Element sets carry kilometre-scale uncertainty, so figures here describe a close pass, not a collision prediction; a change in either object's published elements re-computes the pass automatically. What is a conjunction? → How conjunction assessment works →

✓ Permanent record. This encounter met the notability thresholds and keeps an archived page after the pass.