With Starlink banned in Russia, Moscow’s answer to SpaceX is beginning to take shape in orbit.
Bureau 1440, a Russian space company, says it will begin testing its low Earth orbit satellite internet network, Rassvet, later this year, with commercial service expected in 2027. The company has already launched 16 satellites and plans to expand the constellation as Russia pushes for a domestic alternative to Starlink.
The project comes as satellite internet becomes more than a consumer connectivity tool. In Ukraine, battlefield communications, drones, and jamming-resistant systems have turned orbital networks into strategic infrastructure.
Development timeline for Rassvet
The development was confirmed during a panel discussion at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum by Alexei Shelobkov, CEO of Iks Holding, parent company of Bureau 1440.
Shelobkov said, “The good news is that it is already being created. Satellites are already being launched. In the coming weeks, we will begin testing, and as promised, it will start operating commercially in 2027.”
According to Reuters, in March, the company sent 16 of these LEO satellites into space and plans to increase the number to 900 over the coming years. That, however, is in sharp contrast to Starlink, which has over 10,000 such satellites in orbit.
A quick comparison of the two numbers may appear limited on Russia’s end. Still, it reflects different intended scopes: Rassvet is aimed at domestic coverage, while Starlink operates as a global internet network.
Starlink and the war with Ukraine
Beyond the push to build a domestic alternative to Starlink, another factor is at play: the war with Ukraine.
Since Russia’s official invasion of Ukraine, battle weaponry between both nations has gradually incorporated advanced digital equipment. Although Starlink remains banned in Russia, a Ukrainian official posted pictures in January of destroyed Russian drones attached to Starlink terminals, noting that the drones may have used Starlink as a guide into Ukrainian territory.
According to a Telegram post by Ukraine’s defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine contacted SpaceX within hours and proposed ways to resolve the issue.
Also, in March, some Russian military experts linked successful attacks on Russian infrastructure by Ukraine’s AI-powered drones to Starlink’s help, noting that the technology is more resilient to jamming.
Ukraine has also used AI-powered military robots that travel long distances to transport supplies and move injured soldiers in the war, reflecting the role of technology in modern warfare.
With plans set for commercial use, execution at its testing stage will determine how the system performs beyond deployment milestones and whether it can move from a limited set of satellites into sustained service operations.
For now, Rassvet is still closer to a strategic promise than a proven Starlink substitute. Its next test will not be whether Russia can launch more satellites, but whether it can turn a small constellation into a reliable network at a meaningful scale.
Also read: The Pentagon’s proposed $54 billion AI warfare plan would expand funding for drones, autonomous systems, and combat-focused AI.