Russia's Rassvet-3 Satellite Launch Fails to Reach Orbit

All 16 Rassvet-3 satellites launched by Bureau 1440 on July 19 failed to reach their intended operational altitude of 500 miles. Data from the U.S. Space Force shows the satellites are orbiting between 190 and 250 miles, a range where atmospheric drag will likely cause them to re-enter the atmosphere and burn up.

This failure marks a significant setback for the Federal Government of Russia in its attempt to establish a domestic alternative to SpaceX's Starlink. The project became a priority after Space Exploration Technologies Corp. terminated service to Russian forces on February 1. To date, Bureau 1440 has launched 32 satellites, but only 12 have maintained long-term orbits.

The program continues to struggle with a slow launch pace using Soyuz-2.1b rockets. These efforts have been further complicated by recent Ukrainian missile strikes targeting a Russian space center responsible for producing those rockets.