Nivelir

Nivelir (Russian: Нивелир; "dumpy level"; Project 14K167) is a class of Russian military low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites widely believed to be co-orbital anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) with secondary space surveillance missions. The spacecraft are often compared to Matryoshka "nesting dolls", as each contain a smaller inspector subsatellite, which can themselves deploy one or more kinetic kill vehicles (KKV).

Nivelir spacecraft are inserted into coplanar orbits with target satellites, launching just as the target passes over the launch site. After reaching orbit, the spacecraft shadow their target in a practice termed "space stalking." After closing the distance with their target, they perform rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) and mock kinetic attacks. To date, Nivelir launches have primarily targeted satellites owned by the United States. The spacecraft's secondary reconnaissance mission leverages its hyperspectral and panchromatic imaging payload and reconfigures the sensors from imaging objects on orbit to enable earth observation missions.

Designed and built by the Russian Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (TsNIIKhM) on a Lavochkin 14F150 bus, the first Nivelir was launched on December 25, 2013, aboard a Rokot/Briz-KM carrier rocket, though subsequent launches have utilized the Soyuz 2.1b and 2.1v platforms. All launches have taken place at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northwest Russia, with the most recent launch occurring in May 2025. The satellites are operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces from the 1009/5 mission control center in Noginsk-9, east of Moscow.

Some suspect Nivelir to be closely connected with the 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered air-launched direct ascent ASAT, one of the six "super weapons" unveiled by Vladimir Putin in 2018.