Russia’s Starlink analogue has still failed to reach its operational orbit after six months; Russia has already lost some of the satellites
Kyiv • UNN
The “Rassvet-3” system has still not reached an altitude of 800 km. Some of the satellites have already deorbited or risk burning up in the atmosphere.
The Russian satellite system "Rassvet-3," which is being created as an analogue of Starlink, still has not reached its planned orbit at an altitude of 800 km six months after deployment began. Most of the spacecraft from the first batch have remained at an altitude of approximately 507 km for about three months, Defense Express reports, writes UNN.
Details
Russia launched the first batch of "Rassvet-3" on March 23 and the second on July 19. However, not one of the satellites from either launch has so far even approached the target altitude, preventing the system from beginning full-scale operations.
Of the 15 spacecraft in the first batch, 13 have already settled at an altitude of about 507 km and taken up positions relative to one another. Another 2 remain lower, while 1 previously launched spacecraft has already deorbited.
The satellites may be waiting for the entire group to complete its maneuvers
Defense Express assumes that the delay may be related to the need to properly distribute the spacecraft along the orbit. The 2 satellites remaining below the main group are likely continuing to maneuver in order to take up the necessary positions. After that, the entire group may synchronously begin ascending to 800 km.
The second batch of "Rassvet-3" is also gradually increasing its orbital altitude. At the same time, according to the publication's assessment, 2 spacecraft from this group risk deorbiting and burning up in the atmosphere.
A separate problem for the system's further deployment may be the production of launch vehicles. Defense Express notes that Ukrainian Defense Forces previously struck the Progress Rocket Space Centre enterprise in Samara, where the "Soyuz-2.1b" launch vehicles used to launch the "Rassvet-3" satellites are produced.