Russia conducted the second batch launch in July for Rassvet, one of its projects aimed at reducing dependence on foreign infrastructure in satellite communications. Russian aerospace company Bureau 1440 did not disclose the number of satellites sent into orbit during the latest mission, but said the satellites had separated from the launch vehicle and come under the control of the flight control center.
Rassvet fleet to reach 292 satellites by 2030
Bureau 1440 placed 16 satellites from the first mass-production batch into orbit at the end of March. The company tested technologies related to satellite communications, intersatellite links and ground systems during experimental missions conducted in 2023 and 2024.
Commercial internet services through Rassvet are expected to launch in 2027. A total of 292 satellites, including spares, are planned to be sent into orbit by 2030, while the system’s capacity could be increased to 924 satellites if demand for data traffic rises.
Project to receive 432 billion rubles in financing
Funding for the Rassvet project through 2030 is planned to include approximately 103 billion rubles from the federal budget and approximately 329 billion rubles from Bureau 1440’s own funds. Total financing is therefore expected to reach approximately 432 billion rubles, or about $5.2 billion.
The Russian government allocated approximately 3.85 billion rubles from its reserve fund in 2025 to produce the first 16 mass-production satellites.
Target of up to 1 gigabit per second for satellite internet
Rassvet aims to provide low-latency, high-speed broadband internet through satellites in low Earth orbit. The system is planned to serve individual users as well as mobile operators, transportation companies, industrial facilities and regions with limited terrestrial communications infrastructure.
The system is expected to operate in orbits at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers, with user terminals targeting internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second and latency of up to 70 milliseconds.
The mass-produced satellites will use a 5G NTN communications architecture that enables terrestrial mobile networks and satellite systems to work together, along with intersatellite laser communications terminals. Bureau 1440 said laser links had been established between two satellites at speeds of 10 gigabits per second over distances exceeding 1,000 kilometers during earlier tests.
The technology is intended to route data through other satellites in orbit rather than transferring it directly from each satellite to a ground station. The satellites will also feature plasma propulsion systems for orbital adjustments and control during their missions, as well as enhanced power systems.
Planned uses range from Siberia to high-speed trains and aircraft
Rassvet is expected to be used in Siberia, Russia’s Far East and areas around the Arctic, where installing fiber-optic infrastructure is difficult or costly.
Russian telecommunications companies are also working with Bureau 1440 to integrate satellite links into mobile communications infrastructure. Under an agreement with MegaFon, base stations in areas where terrestrial connectivity is insufficient are planned to connect to the internet through Rassvet. The initial target is to connect 500 base stations to the system in 2027.
In transportation, work with Russian Railways includes plans to provide satellite internet on Sapsan and Lastochka high-speed trains; tests of user terminals for the trains are ongoing.
Bureau 1440 is also working with Aeroflot to provide high-speed internet services on aircraft. If the system is commissioned as planned, Rassvet is intended to provide broadband internet across a range of settings, from areas without terrestrial communications infrastructure to moving trains and aircraft.
