Russia is developing the Rassvet satellite network as a Starlink replacement by 2027

Russia is developing the Rassvet satellite system as a planned replacement for Starlink, including for military communications. The project is being led by the private company Bureau 1440, which is formally separate from Roscosmos.

Two batches of 16 satellites were launched on March 23 and July 19, 2026. By the end of September, however, none of the 32 production satellites had reached the announced operational altitude of 800 kilometres.

Russia says it aims to have 156 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026, almost 300 when operations begin in 2027 and more than 900 by 2035. That schedule would require 124 additional satellites to be launched during the final three months of 2026.

A project with military relevance

Rassvet has been presented as a civilian system, with Bureau 1440 saying terminals could be installed on passenger trains and aircraft. But its satellites are launched on Soyuz-2 rockets from the military Plesetsk Cosmodrome, and the project gained attention after Russian forces faced problems accessing Starlink in Ukraine.

In early February 2026, SpaceX, following a request from Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, disabled in Ukrainian territory Starlink terminals that were not included on special lists. The measure was intended to prevent Russian forces from using antennas secretly brought in from abroad. Russian pro-war bloggers subsequently described drone-control losses and frontline connectivity problems.

How Rassvet differs from Starlink

Starlink has more than 11,000 satellites, while Bureau 1440 plans to build the Russian constellation to 900. Rassvet’s planned orbit is about 800 kilometres, allowing wider coverage with fewer satellites but requiring more powerful spacecraft and user terminals.

The system is designed to operate on two orbits inclined by about 82 degrees. This would cover European Russia and the Arctic, where the Northern Sea Route and Russian military bases are located.

Because Bureau 1440 cannot place ground stations around the world, it plans to relay signals between satellites by laser. Expert Georgy Trishkin said this could improve data protection but might lengthen the route between a user and the internet.

The constellation is behind schedule

Data from enthusiast tracking services showed some satellites at roughly 500 kilometres, with others lower. The March launch group had climbed higher, while the July batch was further behind.

A space expert linked to Bureau 1440 but not employed by it said the spacecraft were carrying out planned phasing manoeuvres. He said one satellite from the first launch had deorbited and that two from the second launch were apparently likely to do so soon.

The programme’s assessment criteria are not publicly available, so it remains unclear whether the constellation will reach 800 kilometres. Another unnamed Russian space specialist said that if the satellites remain at a lower altitude, more spacecraft and launches would be needed for comparable coverage.