Ars Technica
“Twelve of the 16 Rassvet satellites from the first launch in March have settled into orbits at this altitude, according to an assessment released Monday by the Institute for the Study of War.
In its assessment on Monday, the Institute for the Study of War wrote that the second batch of Rassvet satellites ‘appears to have failed to reach intended operational altitudes.’ Zero Rassvets have reached 500 miles, and none of the second group have climbed above 300 miles, whereas much of the first cluster seems to have settled into stable orbits.
‘The existing Rassvet satellite constellation still presents a threat to Ukraine as it may allow Russian forces to conduct more precise strikes against Ukraine using remotely controlled unmanned systems and leverage Rassvet satellite communications even during limited windows of connectivity,’ the Institute for the Study of War wrote in its assessment.
‘Ukrainian strikes against facilities and sites key to Russia‘s satellite and space industry may hinder Russia’s ability to launch satellites and further delay Russia’s goal to establish its own analogue of Starlink in the near-term, including for use on the battlefield in Ukraine,” the Institute for the Study of War wrote in its report this week.”
