Three's a party: US, China, and now Russia are on the prowl in GEO

Russia joins the US and China in the geostationary orbital lane, escalating a three-way space competition for strategic high orbits that control communications and surveillance. This triples the congestion compared to 2020 levels, with 12% more satellites expected in GEO by 2028. The new rivalry is cheaper than the typical rival maneuver, costing 30% less per launch than US alternatives, while matching capacity with Chinese systems.