Russia’s Rassvet Constellation Set for 2025 Launch as Starlink Rival Delays to 2027

Rassvet Satellite Constellation Targets 2025 Commercial Rollout

According to sources cited by Reuters, Russia will activate a commercial version of its home‑grown answer to Starlink, the Rassvet constellation, in 2025. The project, managed by private aerospace firm S7 Space, has been promised for nearly a decade, yet the deadline keeps slipping from an original 2023 target to a new ↓ 2 years delay, now eyeing 2027 for full coverage.

Technical scope and market positioning

The first batch will consist of roughly 150 low‑orbit satellites, a fraction of the Bloomberg-reported 12,000‑plus Starlink fleet. Funding for Rassvet has risen ↑ 15% since 2021, reflecting Moscow’s push for sovereign broadband capability amid sanctions.

“Rassvet is not just a tech project; it’s a strategic instrument for connectivity in remote Russian regions,” a senior S7 official told reporters.

The rollout will dovetail with Russia’s broader push to replace Western tech, a policy shift that accelerated after the pandemic exposed supply chain vulnerabilities. Analysts warn that the compressed timeline could strain manufacturing capacity, potentially compromising service reliability.

Reported by Kaelen Frost (Lead Cybersecurity Analyst).