The launch of Russia’s low-orbit satellite communications constellation, Rassvet (Dawn), developed by the private company Bureau 1440, is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026. According to Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev, 16 satellites have already been manufactured and are ready for deployment. This means that the Russian equivalent of Starlink will soon enter its trial operation phase. Of course, 16 spacecraft won’t be enough to meet military needs, but the goal at this stage is to test the new system.

The initial target is to deploy 300 satellites in orbit. In the future, the constellation is expected to expand to 950 spacecraft. The system is anticipated to offer data transfer speeds of up to 1 Gbps and provide coverage anywhere on the planet. Simultaneously, work is underway to develop a high-orbit constellation in geostationary orbit, with deployment planned for 2029–2030. Construction of the first four satellites is already in progress.