WASHINGTON, USA, Oct. 12, 2026 - Russia has presented ground terminals for Rassvet, its satellite internet constellation, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The system is developed by the Russian aerospace firm Bureau 1440.

Only 13 Rassvet satellites are currently operational, according to the Daily Express, which reports that full deployment is scheduled for the end of 2027 and calls that timeline overly optimistic. Analyst Maxim Starchak describes Rassvet as a low-Earth-orbit system similar to SpaceX's Starlink, designed for real-time control of unmanned aerial vehicles. Bulgaria's 24 Chasa reports that the network is meant to let first-person-view military drones operate over long ranges.

Ukrainian military sources said on 12 October that Russia has begun mass-producing Rassvet satellites using electronic components from China.

Impact Insight. Low-orbit internet constellations need many satellites, because each one is above a given spot for only a few minutes. For planetary defense the link is near-Earth space safety, not asteroids: every new constellation adds objects that tracking networks must follow to avoid collisions and debris.