Russia's Race to Replace Starlink Is Failing
Summary
Russia is trying to build its own satellite network called Rassvet to replace the Starlink service it lost access to during the Ukraine conflict. However, the satellites it launched have not reached the correct orbit height, causing delays in the network becoming fully operational.Key Facts
- Russia launched 16 Rassvet satellites on July 19, but none reached the planned 540-mile orbit height.
- Many satellites are stuck as low as 180 miles and some are falling back toward Earth.
- The Starlink system, owned by SpaceX, was cut off to Russian forces, impacting their military communications.
- Ukraine’s president honored Elon Musk for providing Starlink services to Ukraine.
- Russia aims to have 200-300 satellites for stable coverage but likely cannot achieve this soon.
- The Rassvet network is still a threat because it can help Russian forces control unmanned attacks more accurately.
- Russia planned to start commercial use of Rassvet by 2027, but current satellite failures may delay this timeline.
- Experts say Russia usually misses deadlines in military projects but often manages to deliver useful systems eventually.
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