Russia’s Starlink Rival Rassvet Eyes Expansion After Early Orbiting Progress

Russia is moving ahead with its “Starlink rival” project, Rassvet, which has already placed satellites into orbit. Reporting indicates at least 16 spacecraft from an early batch are currently up, with additional satellites possibly already launched toward expanding coverage. The project’s progress suggests continued work to grow from initial deployments into a more complete constellation capable of supporting communications beyond experimental phases. Analysts say the next milestones will be scaling satellite numbers, ensuring stable performance, and building enough ground and user equipment to deliver reliable internet service.