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Russia’s planned Starlink rival is Rassvet, a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) broadband network being developed by Bureau 1440. It is not yet an operational consumer alternative: reports through September 2026 described 32 production satellites launched, problems reaching planned orbits, and commercial service still targeted for 2027. Satellite internet works by routing data between a user terminal, satellites and ground networks; LEO systems need many moving satellites and handoffs to maintain coverage.
What is Rassvet?
Rassvet is Bureau 1440’s planned Russian LEO broadband network. The company is part of IKS Holding. It is often described as Russia’s Starlink rival because both projects aim to provide broadband through satellites in low Earth orbit. That shared purpose does not mean they have the same operating scale, availability or customer reach.
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Bureau 1440 has stated goals of speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s per user terminal and latency of up to 70 milliseconds. RBC and Anadolu Ajansı reported those figures in 2026 as project targets, not verified results from a retail service. They should not be read as speeds or latency that customers can currently expect.
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From a terminal to the wider internet
A customer’s terminal, typically an antenna and modem, sends and receives data by radio over a link to a satellite in view. The satellite routes the traffic to a ground gateway connected to terrestrial networks. If the network supports inter-satellite links, a satellite can instead relay traffic to another satellite before it reaches a gateway. Replies travel back along a corresponding route.
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The internet still carries the data to its destination; the satellite link replaces part of the connection between the user and the ground network. That makes satellite service useful where building terrestrial infrastructure is difficult, but the space link and the network supporting it determine coverage and performance.
Why LEO networks need many satellites
LEO satellites move relative to locations on Earth, so any one spacecraft is above a particular area only temporarily. For continuous service, satellites must be positioned in orbital planes so that one or more are in range as others move away. The network then hands a terminal’s connection from one satellite to another.
As RFE/RL explained in its coverage of satellite constellations, constant communications require enough satellites for one or more to be above a location at all times. Launching a small number of satellites can create coverage windows, but it does not by itself establish continuous service.
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Orbit altitude is a trade-off
A satellite at a higher altitude can see a larger area of Earth, but data travels farther between the ground and the spacecraft. A lower orbit shortens that path and can reduce latency, while generally requiring more satellites for persistent coverage. Reporting places Rassvet’s planned orbit at about 800 km and Starlink’s at about 550 km or lower. Those are reported orbit figures, not a direct measurement of either service’s customer performance.
What Rassvet has achieved—and what remains planned
Rassvet’s deployment plans are ambitious, but announced constellation targets should be separated from satellites actually operating in their intended orbits. RBC reported a federal project plan of 156 satellites in 2026, 292 in 2027 and 318 in 2028, with possible expansion to as many as 900 by 2035. These are planned milestones, not completed deployment counts.
Ars Technica reported that two launches, in March and July 2026, delivered 32 production satellites to low Earth orbit. That total does not mean all 32 reached planned operational altitude or were providing continuous coverage. RFE/RL reported on September 20, 2026, that one satellite from the first batch had reentered, others remained below their originally planned altitude, and the July batch also faced problems. The reports leave the project’s targeted 2027 commercial start uncertain.
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| Measure | Reported status | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Production satellites launched | 32 in two batches, reported by Ars Technica in 2026 | Not all were reported at planned operational altitudes; launch count is not the same as an operational constellation. |
| Planned constellation milestones | 156 in 2026, 292 in 2027, 318 in 2028; possible growth to 900 by 2035, according to RBC’s February 2026 report | Announced project figures, not confirmed totals in orbit. |
| Commercial service | Still targeted for 2027 in reporting through September 2026 | A future target, not evidence that public service has begun. |
| Terminal availability | RFE/RL reported no evidence of large-scale terminal production | Public availability of customer hardware and subscriptions was not established. |
How Rassvet compares with Starlink
A fair comparison distinguishes the networks’ intended designs from services customers can actually buy and use. The figures below describe reported plans and deployment status through September 2026, not a test of equivalent live services.
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| Comparison point | Rassvet | What it means for readers |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit | Planned altitude of about 800 km; Starlink is reported at about 550 km or lower | Higher altitude can increase a satellite’s footprint, while a longer signal path may affect latency. Altitude alone does not determine actual customer performance. |
| Constellation and continuity | 32 production satellites reportedly launched in two batches by September 2026; orbital problems were also reported | That launch count does not establish continuous nationwide or global coverage. |
| Speed and latency | Up to 1 Gbit/s per terminal and up to 70 ms latency are stated goals | These are targets; independently measured retail results were not established in the cited reporting. |
| Customer hardware and service | Commercial service was prospective, and large-scale terminal production was not established in RFE/RL reporting | Readers should not assume they can order a compatible terminal or subscribe. |
| Intended customers | Plans include individuals, mobile operators, transport companies and industrial facilities | The project’s intended reach extends beyond household broadband, but reported plans are not proof of active connections. |
WIRED quoted space expert Vitalij Egorov interpreting Rassvet’s planned customer mix as closer to OneWeb’s blend of commercial, state-owned and government customers than to Starlink’s broader consumer identity. That is the expert’s comparison, not an official classification of the network.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who is Rassvet meant to serve?
Reported intended uses include remote areas where terrestrial infrastructure is difficult to build, industrial sites, transport and mobile-network backhaul. Anadolu Ajansı reported several planned collaborations: integration of 500 MegaFon base stations by 2027, terminal tests for Russian Railways trains, and work with Aeroflot on aircraft connectivity. These are reported targets and projects, not confirmation that satellite connectivity is already being delivered to those customers.
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The project has also reported work on 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) architecture, which adapts mobile-network technology for links involving satellites. Anadolu Ajansı reported a Bureau 1440 test of a laser inter-satellite link rated at 10 Gbit/s over a distance of more than 1,000 km. That figure describes a link test between satellites, not broadband speed available to an end user.
Is Russia’s satellite internet available yet?
The reporting available through September 2026 does not establish that Rassvet offers continuous public internet service or that consumers can obtain its terminals and subscriptions. The network had launched production satellites, but reports also described orbital difficulties; its commercial start remained a target for 2027. Pricing, retail subscription terms and consumer terminal models were not established in the cited coverage.
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