On March 23, 2026, Russia launched the first 16 serial satellites of the “Rassvet” constellation into orbit. The project, positioned as the domestic response to the Starlink system, is being implemented by “Bureau 1440” (part of “IKS Holding”). This structure specializes in the production of surveillance systems (SORM) and internet blocking tools (TSPU).
Technical and financial parameters of the project:
- Deployment Plan: By 2030, it is planned to launch 292 spacecraft out of the 383 announced. At least 250 satellites are required for minimal global coverage.
- Budget: The total cost of the program exceeds 430 billion rubles, of which 102 billion are direct state subsidies.
- Beneficiaries: Boris Korolev, the son of the first deputy director of the FSB, appears in the leadership of “IKS Holding”, highlighting the merger of security forces with the high-tech market.
- Context: The commercial start is scheduled for 2027. The project is being forced due to the blocking of Starlink access for Russian units in the combat zone.
Analysis and Conclusion: The creation of “Rassvet” by developers of internet censorship equipment poses a direct threat to digital freedom. Unlike the global SpaceX project, the Russian satellite network is being designed from the outset as a dual-use tool under the control of special services. The main danger lies in the creation of a “sovereign space internet,” which will allow the authorities to completely isolate the country’s information field, ensuring uninterrupted communication for security forces while simultaneously disconnecting terrestrial backbone channels for the civilian population. Effectively, a global “celestial shield” for SORM is being built at the taxpayers’ expense.