Russia readies Rassvet launch as 318-satellite plan nears

Russia appears to be preparing another Rassvet satellite launch within days, according to a recent aviation notice pointing to a window at Plesetsk Cosmodrome between July 11 and July 16 2026. The notice was flagged by a social media user who tracks Russian launches. Roscosmos has not confirmed an exact date, and there has been no official comment from the Russian government.

Rassvet has been in development for several years. The first three satellites reached orbit in 2023 on the Rassvet-1 mission from Vostochny Cosmodrome, flying with other Roscosmos payloads. Those spacecraft were test units used to validate data transmission, communications stability, and orbital behavior, not to provide commercial service.

Another three larger satellites followed in May 2024 on the Rassvet-2 mission from Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Those were production prototypes intended to test communications hardware for the 5G NTN standard as well as laser inter-satellite links.

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The broader rollout has faced reported supply-chain problems affecting critical components, which appear to have delayed multiple stages of the program. In March, Bureau 1440 said it had launched 16 satellites that would form the foundation of the future Rassvet system, about three months behind the original schedule. The latest notice suggests one or two launch vehicles could lift off from Plesetsk during the five-day window.

According to Russia’s federal project for internet access infrastructure, the country plans 156 satellites in 2026 and 292 by 2027. The 2027 total is described as enough for full commercial service, with the complete 318-satellite constellation expected by 2028.

The schedule also has a military dimension. The report says a partial deployment in 2026 and 2027 could restore a reliable Starlink-like communications capability for Russian forces after SpaceX blocked Russia’s unauthorized use of its satellite internet system. Russia has also recently tested Barrazh 1, a high-altitude stratospheric balloon relay network designed to carry communications equipment to about 20km above the ground.

The report adds that Rassvet ground terminals are expected to use active phased array technology, allowing them to maintain a stable link with overhead satellites without manual adjustment. Whether this latest launch window holds is still unclear, given Bureau 1440's earlier delays, but if it does, Russia would move a step closer to building an independent satellite communications network.