Hardware

16 satellites of Russia's Starlink analogue fail to reach mission target

The satellites of the Russian project "Рассвет" have not achieved their intended orbit.

4 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: 16 satellites of Russia's Starlink analogue fail to reach mission target — Archive photoPhoto: Official SpaceX Photos · Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Recent reports reveal that none of the 16 satellites launched in June 2026 for Russia's Starlink analogue, known as "Рассвет," reached their planned operational orbit. Instead of the targeted altitude of 800 kilometers, the satellites are flying at altitudes between 300 and 400 kilometers.

According to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the satellites are struggling to maintain their calculations for the lower orbit. This has been supported by data from the tracking service N2YO, which monitors the satellites' positions.

An expert explained that the challenges may be due to the specific characteristics of the satellites' engines, which slow down the altitude increase and thus lead to delays.

The situation poses a hurdle for the Russian government's development of a broadband communication system, which is being pursued under the "Рассвет" project.

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