Russia is secretly developing new "Rassvet-4" satellites again for its own Starlink analogue
Kyiv • UNN
The Russian Federation has filed an application for a network of 374 "Rassvet-4" satellites at an altitude of 800 km. The project could upgrade the problematic "Rassvet-3" satellites.
Russia is likely working on a new version of the "Rassvet-4" satellites for its communications system, which is being developed by the company "Bureau 1440" as a Starlink analogue. This is evidenced by an application to the International Telecommunication Union to register the RASSVET-4 satellite network, Defense Express reports, writes UNN.
Details
According to the published data, the new network is expected to deploy 374 satellites at an altitude of 800 km. They are planned to be placed in 17 orbital planes, with 22 spacecraft in each.
Analysts suggest that this does not concern the creation of a separate network, but rather a modernized version of the "Rassvet-3" satellite, which will operate within the already planned constellation.
Why Russia may modernize its satellites
In March and July 2026, Russia launched 32 "Rassvet-3" satellites, but their deployment has been accompanied by problems. According to the publication, 2 spacecraft have already been lost, while the remaining 30 have still not reached their planned orbital positions.
The application also specifies the antenna characteristics of the new system. In particular, it provides for 12 communication beams, 7 of which are intended for signal transmission and 5 for reception.
The company "Bureau 1440" has not officially presented "Rassvet-4", although in September it reported that it was working on an improved version of its previous satellites.
It is possible that the new spacecraft will be launched during the next space mission. At the same time, according to analysts, there is still a long way to go before the full-scale deployment of Russia's Starlink analogue.