# Meteor tracking nonprofit crippled by cyberattack

> The International Meteor Organization says it will take weeks to recover from the attack on its aging infrastructure.
- Title: Meteor tracking nonprofit crippled by cyberattack | Shortify
- Summary: The International Meteor Organization says it will take weeks to recover from the attack on its aging infrastructure. The International Meteor Organization…
- Keywords: international meteor organization, imo, cyberattack, meteor tracking, fireball observations, space research, nonprofit, infrastructure attack, astronomy, technology, science, Meteor
- Source: Ars Technica — https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/nonprofit-that-tracks-meteors-taken-down-by-critical-blow-from-a-cyberattack
- Published: 2026-09-16T21:08:14+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: international meteor organization, imo, cyberattack, meteor tracking, fireball observations, space research, nonprofit, infrastructure attack, astronomy, technology, science
## Meteor tracker hit by cyberattack
The International Meteor Organization says a cyberattack dealt a critical blow to its aging infrastructure, taking most of its site offline.

> We recently suffered a cyberattack that dealt a critical blow to aging infrastructure, taking much of our site offline.
## Weeks of downtime expected
The organization expects several weeks of partial downtime as it transitions to new infrastructure and services.
## What the IMO does
Founded in 1988, the IMO coordinates meteor observations and maintains databases of text, photos, and videos considered essential by researchers.
## Motive remains unclear
It's unclear why anyone would target an organization tracking space objects or want to steal its mostly public data.

> It's unclear why an organization that tracks large, fiery space objects hurtling toward Earth would be the target of a damaging cyberattack.
## Space attacks are rare
Attacks on space organizations are uncommon but have happened before, including hacks on NASA, the National Science Foundation, and a Chilean observatory.
## No ransom demand reported
Unlike a 2023 ransomware attack on the American Meteorological Society, no group has claimed responsibility or demanded payment.
## Key takeaway

The International Meteor Organization, which coordinates global meteor observations, is offline for weeks after a cyberattack destroyed its aging infrastructure.