Russia’s Rassvet Starlink Rival Loses Two Satellites

By John Maximus · Published 14 October 2026
Reported from named sources and checked against the publishers linked in this article. Corrections: editorial and corrections policy.

Two satellites belonging to Rassvet, the low-Earth-orbit broadband network Russia is building as an alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink, are losing altitude fast and could burn up in the atmosphere within weeks. Ukrainian National News (UNN) reported on 13 October that Rassvet No. 17 and No. 23 never reached their operational orbit after a July launch, citing Clash Report, the SONIKS space-object monitoring system and the specialist publication RussianSpaceWeb.

Key facts

• Both spacecraft flew on the second batch of 16 Rassvet satellites launched on 19 July 2026 and were meant to climb to their working altitude under their own engines, UNN reported.
• Clash Report put satellite No. 17 at roughly 245 kilometres and said it is shedding about 1.7 kilometres a day.
• SONIKS data for 13 October gave No. 17 a minimum altitude of 235.66 kilometres and a maximum of 255.75 kilometres; No. 23 was at 232.20 and 250.05 kilometres.
• SONIKS forecasts No. 23 entering the dense atmosphere as early as 29 October and No. 17 on 1 November 2026. UNN stressed both dates are preliminary and could change if the satellites perform corrective manoeuvres.
• Across 2026 Russia placed 32 production spacecraft in orbit; with six experimental satellites from earlier years, the project total reaches 38, according to UNN.

Why it matters

Rassvet is the state-backed project meant to give Russia a domestic equivalent of Starlink, and its schedule is tight. UNN reports that published plans call for 292 satellites by 2027, rising to 924 by 2035, with commercial service due to start in 2027. Losing individual spacecraft to failed orbit-raising manoeuvres complicates that build-out, and follows earlier reports of trouble in the constellation.

For readers tracking satellite internet options, the practical point is that Rassvet is not a service you can sign up for. UNN describes it as a network intended to provide communications in remote regions and potentially to be used for military purposes, with commercial operations scheduled only for next year.

What went wrong, as described by the sources

UNN says the two satellites were placed in an initial orbit and were supposed to raise themselves to operational altitude, but failed to carry out the necessary manoeuvres and began drifting back toward Earth. At such low altitudes, the publication notes, atmospheric drag gradually slows the spacecraft; with their engines not working, they keep losing height until they reach the dense layers of the atmosphere, where they usually break apart and burn up.

The signs were visible earlier. RussianSpaceWeb reported in late August that some satellites from the second batch were showing no noticeable orbit-raising manoeuvres, and that two had slipped below 300 kilometres, creating a risk of premature reentry, according to UNN.

Who is building it

The Rassvet system is being developed by Bureau 1440, a Russian company within the ICS Holding structure, UNN reports. Development began before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but the publication says the project’s military significance grew after Russian forces’ access to American Starlink terminals was restricted.

Ukraine’s assessment and sanctions push

Ukrainian military intelligence treats Rassvet as a potential threat despite the failures. UNN reports that in August 2026 Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, said Russia was deploying the network faster than earlier plans anticipated, and that Russian forces had already used the first group of Rassvet satellites for communications over Ukrainian territory for several hours.

The same report notes a caveat from Ukrainian intelligence: far more spacecraft would be needed for uninterrupted satellite communications than Russia currently has in orbit. At the end of September, UNN adds, Ukraine called on the United States to sanction several Russian organisations it says are helping develop the network.

The separate worry: Russian satellites shadowing others

A different Russian activity in orbit is also drawing attention. Moneycontrol, citing Reuters, reports that in May 2026 four Russian military satellites — Cosmos 2610, 2611, 2612 and 2613 — manoeuvred close to a commercial radar-imaging spacecraft operated by ICEYE, the Finnish company whose radar imagery supports intelligence work for Ukraine and its allies. ICEYE confirmed one of its satellites was involved.

Major General Michael Traut, head of German Space Command, described the Russian satellites as “chasing” the spacecraft, according to Moneycontrol, and Germany’s space commander has warned that Russian satellites could threaten Starlink using similar tactics without a direct attack. Moneycontrol sets out one scenario raised by experts: a satellite breaking up near Starlink’s orbital paths would scatter debris, forcing Starlink satellites to change course, and those manoeuvres consume limited fuel, which could shorten operational lifespans.

Meanwhile, Starlink keeps launching

SpaceX put another 27 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on 12 October from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, lifting off at 8:28 p.m. EDT, according to International Business Times Singapore. The outlet, citing a mission report, says the flight ended a 23-day gap in Starlink launches and was Falcon 9’s 112th launch of 2026 and its 82nd Starlink mission — Starlink missions still account for most of Falcon 9’s flights.

The same report counts 12,988 Starlink satellites launched as of 13 October 2026, with 11,131 still in orbit and 11,117 operational, and notes the three totals measure different things. It adds that Starship’s 14th test flight on 28 September deployed 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, its first successful orbital mission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Russia already lost a Rassvet satellite before this?

Yes. According to UNN, Russia launched its first production batch of 16 Rassvet spacecraft on 23 March 2026, and satellite No. 4 never began the manoeuvres needed to raise its orbit. UNN reports it burned up in the atmosphere around 6 June 2026.

How many Rassvet satellites have actually reached a working altitude?

The Russian industry publication ComNews, cited by UNN, said that as of 7 October, 17 of the 31 production satellites still in orbit had reached an altitude of about 510 kilometres. Another nine were between 446 and 498 kilometres, and five were between 253 and 375 kilometres.

Has the Rassvet network been demonstrated in public yet?

UNN reports that on 7 October the developer held a public video call between Adygea and Moscow over the Rassvet system, lasting about five minutes. Industry experts quoted by UNN said such tests do not yet show a fully operational network capable of uninterrupted coverage over large areas.

Is there proof Russia has interfered with Starlink satellites?

No. Moneycontrol reports there is no confirmed evidence that Russia has disrupted Starlink through close-approach manoeuvres. The concern raised by German Space Command is about what the tactic could do, not about a documented interference incident involving Starlink.