Russian Rassvet satellite constellation

On October 29, 2026, Russia's communications administration quietly submitted regulatory filings to the International Telecommunication Union for a new low Earth orbit constellation. The proposed network, designated Rassvet-4, outlines a massive deployment of 374 communications satellites.[2][4]

The documentation reveals a high-stakes pivot for Bureau 1440, the commercial aerospace developer tasked with building Russia's sovereign alternative to SpaceX's Starlink. The filings detail a constellation operating at an altitude of 800 kilometers, distributed evenly across 17 orbital planes.[2][6]

Each of those orbital planes would contain 22 spacecraft, equipped with multi-beam communications payloads. According to the technical specifications submitted to the UN agency, each satellite bus will project 12 discrete transmission beams to provide reconfigurable regional coverage.[2][4]

"The Russian side submitted two documents: Advance Publication Information regarding the satellite network and a Coordination Request," reports Militarnyi.[4]

These filings initiate the formal process of coordinating radio frequencies with other nations, utilizing the Ku and Ka bands for data transmission. However, the sudden emergence of the Rassvet-4 architecture points less to a triumphant expansion and more to an urgent hardware rescue mission.[4][6]

Struggling to Reach Altitude

Bureau 1440 initiated its commercial deployment campaign earlier this year, launching 32 Rassvet-3 satellites across two dedicated Soyuz rocket missions. The first cluster of 16 spacecraft lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on March 23, followed by a second batch on July 19.[2][4]

The marketing materials promised a rapid rollout of a global broadband network, but the actual orbital telemetry tells a different story. The entire fleet has failed to reach its intended 800-kilometer operational altitude, suffering from apparent propulsion and orbit-raising limitations.[2][6]

The hardware degradation has already resulted in total losses for a portion of the fleet. Two of the deployed Rassvet-3 satellites experienced uncontrolled altitude loss shortly after launch and subsequently disintegrated during atmospheric reentry.[2][5]

The remaining 30 spacecraft are currently stalled in lower orbital planes, burning through their operational lifespans in a high-drag environment. Tracking data indicates that 13 satellites from the July batch have stabilized at an altitude of approximately 508 kilometers, far below their target.[4]

"The 32 Rassvet-3 satellites are reportedly still experiencing difficulties with deployment and reaching their designated orbital positions," notes Defense Express.[3]

Operating at these lower altitudes significantly increases atmospheric drag, which forces the satellites to expend limited krypton propellant just to maintain their degraded orbits. The failure to climb higher severely limits the geographic coverage each satellite can provide.[2][3]

Engineering a Rushed Successor

Aerospace analysts suggest that Rassvet-4 is not an entirely separate network, but rather a heavily modified iteration of the existing design. The new baseline appears engineered specifically to resolve the propulsion anomalies that stranded the current fleet.[2][5]

Bureau 1440 has not officially announced the Rassvet-4 spacecraft, maintaining a public focus on the existing network. However, company representatives acknowledged in September that engineers were actively working on an improved version of the Rassvet-3 platform.[3][5]

The rapid ITU filing suggests this upgraded hardware could fly on the very next Soyuz launch. The technical documentation provides a clear look at the intended capabilities of the revised spacecraft, assuming it can reach its destination.[3][6]

The frequency plan allocates the 10.7 to 12.725 GHz and 19.075 to 20.2 GHz bands for transmitting data from the satellites down to ground terminals. Conversely, the 14 to 14.495 GHz and 29.5 to 30 GHz bands are reserved for uplink transmissions from ground stations to the orbital fleet.[4]

The satellites will utilize seven transmit beams and five receive beams to manage this two-way broadband traffic. The integration of active phased array antennas on these ground terminals theoretically allows for data rates up to 1 Gbps and latency under 70 milliseconds.[4]

Yet, those marketed specifications assume a fully populated constellation operating at the correct altitude. They do not reflect the reality of a sparse network of struggling hardware fighting orbital decay.[1][3]

Beyond Civilian Broadband

While Bureau 1440 markets the Rassvet constellation as a commercial broadband solution for remote Eurasian territories, the strategic implications extend directly into military operations. The network is widely viewed as a critical enabler for Russian aerospace forces.[2][5]

An operational low Earth orbit constellation would provide resilient, high-bandwidth communications that are difficult to jam or intercept. This capability is particularly vital for operating uncrewed aerial vehicles over long distances without relying on vulnerable ground relays.[5]

"Once Russia deploys approximately 200–250 satellites, the network could support real-time drone control, reconnaissance, and targeted strikes," reports UNITED24 Media.[5]

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This would allow operators to control attack drones far beyond their direct line of sight. Devices resembling Rassvet user terminals have already been recovered from Russian drones deployed in recent months.[3][5]

However, the current constellation of 30 underperforming satellites remains far too small to provide the continuous, uninterrupted coverage required for reliable military command and control. The Russian government originally aimed to have 250 operational satellites in orbit by 2027.[5]

The propulsion failures of the Rassvet-3 fleet make that timeline highly improbable. The accelerated development of the Rassvet-4 platform is an attempt to close that widening capability gap.[1][5]

Navigating the Regulatory Framework

The ITU filings represent the first mandatory step in securing international recognition for the expanded network. The Advance Publication Information alerts the global telecommunications community to Russia's intent to occupy specific orbital slots and frequencies.[4][6]

The subsequent Coordination Request initiates a complex negotiation process with other satellite operators. Because the 800-kilometer altitude band is already heavily populated by commercial and government spacecraft, Bureau 1440 must prove its signals will not interfere with existing networks.[2][4]

These parameters were originally established by a decision of the Russian State Commission for Radio Frequencies back in November 2021. The fact that the international coordination is only happening now underscores how the project's timeline has shifted in response to the orbital setbacks.[4]

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"The application could therefore concern an upgraded spacecraft rather than an entirely separate network, particularly given the difficulties affecting the existing Rassvet-3 deployment," notes TechRadar.[1]

The urgency of the filing suggests that ground testing of the Rassvet-4 hardware is likely nearing completion. Observers anticipate that the next dedicated launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome will carry the revised satellites, likely without prior public acknowledgement of the design change.[2][3]

Until that upgraded hardware proves it can survive the climb to 800 kilometers, Russia's sovereign satellite internet remains largely aspirational. The ambitious 374-satellite architecture exists on paper in Geneva, while the actual hardware fights atmospheric drag 300 kilometers below its target.[1][4]