All sixteen Rassvet-3 satellites miss target orbit, delaying Russia's Starlink rival
A batch of sixteen Russian Rassvet-3 satellites launched on July 19 failed to reach their planned 500-mile orbit, remaining at much lower altitudes.
Sixteen Rassvet-3 satellites launched on July 19 have not achieved the roughly 500-mile orbit that Bureau 1440 advertised, instead circulating at 190-250 miles according to US Space Force tracking. At those heights, atmospheric drag will quickly degrade their trajectories, leading to re-entry and loss of the assets. This marks the second launch series to encounter problems, with the first batch delivering only twelve functional satellites out of sixteen.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War suggest the mishap reflects Russia's unpreparedness to accelerate constellation deployment. The failure comes as the Kremlin seeks a home-grown alternative to Starlink after SpaceX halted service to Russian troops on February 1. Ukraine has also claimed to have struck a Soyuz rocket production site, further complicating Russia's launch capacity.
Why it matters
The loss hampers Russia's plan for independent satellite internet, affecting military communications and civilian connectivity.
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