Space: January 6, 2002

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Cosmos-2367, Russia's only electronic intelligence satellite, broke up in orbit on 21 November. This type of event is common at the end of the spacecraft's two-year service life, but unlike other satellites of this type, the disintegration event took place while the satellite was still in its operational orbit. The Russians have previously denied that an explosion of stored propellant causes these events.--Stephen V Cole