Russia's Rassvet is losing satellites right in orbit
The Russian “Rassvet” project, which Moscow calls its own answer to Starlink, has encountered new problems. At least two satellites launched on July 19 failed to reach the intended orbit and have already descended below 300 kilometers. According to space researchers, the satellites will most likely enter the dense layers of the atmosphere and burn up.
These are satellites from the Russian “Rassvet” project, developed by the company “Bureau 1440.” Russia positions this system as its own counterpart to Elon Musk’s Starlink, which is intended to provide broadband satellite communications. The second batch of satellites was launched on July 19, 2026. However, some of the satellites encountered problems from the very beginning while reaching the desired altitude.
Space researcher Anatoly Zak noted that at least two satellites were unable to perform the maneuvers needed to raise their orbit at all. As a result, they gradually lost altitude. These satellites have now descended below 300 kilometers. At this altitude, a satellite begins to experience significantly greater atmospheric drag and therefore rapidly loses orbital velocity. If the satellites cannot be raised back into orbit, they will enter the dense layers of the atmosphere. There, the satellites will disintegrate and burn up.
The problems are not limited to just two satellites
Three other satellites from the same group attempted to ascend to a higher orbit, but these attempts were also unsuccessful. They are currently at an altitude of approximately 310–330 kilometers and are also gradually descending. This means the risk of loss applies not only to the two satellites that have already dropped below 300 kilometers.
Nine more satellites are continuing to maneuver. They remain operational for now, but their orbits are still lower than planned. According to Russian Space Web, at a similar stage of the flight, the satellites from Russia’s first batch launch were approximately 200 kilometers higher. This means that the second group is currently lagging behind in terms of orbital ascent.
The first launch also had problems
Problems with “Rassvet” began to surface as early as the first cluster launch. In late March, the Russian company “Bureau 1440” launched 17 satellites into orbit. One of them never reached its planned trajectory. By early June, that satellite had fallen out of orbit. Most of the other satellites were able to continue operating and began forming the future constellation.
According to researcher Anatoly Zak, 14 satellites from the first batch were successfully launched to an altitude of just over 500 kilometers. However, even they did not reach the target orbit of 800 kilometers, which “Bureau 1440” had previously specified. This is important for more than just the number on the altimeter. The lower a satellite is above Earth, the greater the impact of the residual atmosphere on it. Therefore, maintaining such an orbit requires more fuel.
A low orbit can shorten a satellite’s operational life
Satellites that remain at an altitude of approximately 500 kilometers can still operate. However, such an orbit is not optimal for long-term operation if a significantly higher altitude was originally planned. At lower altitudes, atmospheric drag is greater. As a result, satellites need to adjust their orbit more frequently, and these maneuvers require fuel.
Consequently, even if the satellites do not fall immediately, they may deplete their fuel reserves faster than expected. This potentially shortens their operational lifespan. Astronomer Jonathan McDonald also highlighted problems with raising the orbits of the “Rassvet” satellites. This particular stage has now become one of the main weaknesses of the Russian system.
Moscow had planned for hundreds of satellites
Russia’s plans for “Rassvet” are far more ambitious than the few dozen satellites that have already been launched. In 2025, Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov stated that in the first phase, the constellation would consist of 350 satellites. The plan was for this number to provide round-the-clock global communications coverage.
Russia subsequently planned to expand the constellation to 900 satellites. The project was positioned as a proprietary broadband data transmission system capable of operating virtually anywhere on the planet. That is precisely why problems with the first few dozen satellites are significant for the entire project. To create a fully-fledged satellite network, it is not enough to simply launch a few satellites into orbit. They must be consistently positioned at the correct altitude, their orbits maintained, and their long-term operation ensured.
Russia called “Rassvet” its answer to Starlink
Moscow has made no secret of its desire to create its own satellite communications system. It plans to use it for data transmission, internet access, and other forms of communication. Russian authorities also view satellite technology as a crucial part of military infrastructure. Therefore, the success of such a project is significant not only for civilian internet access.
Against this backdrop, every failed maneuver or loss of a satellite becomes a serious problem. After all, creating a stable network requires not just a few successful launches, but dozens and hundreds of satellites operating simultaneously in their designated orbits. For now, Russia’s “Rassvet” project is going through a difficult deployment phase. The second launch batch revealed that serious difficulties arise when raising satellites to the required altitude.
If the two satellites that have already dropped below 300 kilometers do indeed burn up in the atmosphere, this will be yet another setback for the Russian project. Meanwhile, the nine satellites that continue to maneuver are currently attempting to remain well below their stated target orbit.
