Washington Times
“Russian satellites are failing to reach the required altitudes to create its own version of SpaceX’s Starlink system, the Institute for the Study of War said this week.
Many ended up at altitudes between 180 and 240 miles — well short of the intended operational altitude for the Rassvet satellites. At least two are reportedly heading for reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, the ISW said in its latest analysis of the conflict in Ukraine.
‘Satellites orbiting at lower altitudes have shorter operational lifespans due to increased atmospheric drag from upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere and greater fuel expenditure than satellites operating at higher altitudes,’ the ISW said.
‘The apparent failure of all 16 satellites from the second launch to reach their intended operational altitudes suggests Russia may have been unprepared to accelerate constellation deployment at this pace and will likely face additional delays,’ the ISW said.“
