Russia's ambitious plan to challenge SpaceX's Starlink dominance has hit a snag, sparking intrigue and debate. The launch of Russia's low-orbit broadband satellites, a project dubbed 'Rassvet' (Dawn), has been delayed, raising questions about its progress and future.
Originally scheduled for late 2025, the launch of 16 satellites by Bureau 1440, a private aerospace company, has now been pushed back to 2026. This delay comes despite previous assurances from Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov, who stated in September that the deployment of the first 300 satellites would commence by the end of 2025.
The Rassvet project aims to provide broadband internet access across Russia, offering a domestic alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink. However, sources within Russia's space industry suggest the delay may be due to the satellites not being fully assembled yet.
Bureau 1440 denies missing deadlines, stating that work is on track. "Specific launch dates and sensitive information are confidential," the company said, promising updates as project milestones are achieved.
But here's where it gets controversial: two sources claim the satellites are not yet fully assembled, contradicting Deputy Digital Development Minister Dmitry Ugnivenko's statement in December that all 16 satellites for the initial launch were produced last year.
The Rassvet project is a significant investment, with the federal budget allocating 102.8 billion rubles ($1.3 billion) and Bureau 1440 planning to invest an additional 329 billion rubles ($4.3 billion) by 2030. Bakanov has stated that over 900 low-orbit satellites are planned for launch by 2035, with commercial operation of over 250 expected to begin in 2027.
The project also includes the deployment of over 100 Earth-observation satellites. According to official documentation, 16 satellites were scheduled for launch in 2025, with the number increasing annually, reaching 318 in 2028, and a total of 24 launches planned by 2030.
Currently, only six Bureau 1440 satellites are in orbit, launched as part of experimental missions. This pales in comparison to SpaceX's Starlink network, which has deployed over 7,000 satellites in low Earth orbit at an altitude of around 550 kilometers.
In October, the head of a key Roscosmos subsidiary was dismissed amid criticism of slow progress in import substitution for satellite manufacturing.
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