Russian Alternative to Starlink and OneWeb Launched into Orbit

Three Gonets-M satellites and the first satellite of the federal “Sphere” project, Skif-D, have been successfully delivered to their designated orbits. This was announced by the state corporation Roscosmos on its official website.

“The launch vehicle operated as planned, the upper stage separated from the rocket’s third stage, and is currently placing the satellites into their designated orbits,” the corporation reported.

The Gonets-M satellites are designed for data transmission and to provide mobile and stationary satellite communication services to subscribers anywhere on Earth. Since 2005, a total of 22 such satellites have been launched into orbit.

The Skif-D satellite is intended to test new technical solutions for high-speed internet access and to protect orbital-frequency resources. It is the first satellite of the federal “Sphere” project, which will include five satellite communication constellations and five Earth remote sensing constellations.

Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, stated that the “Sphere” project will create a satellite constellation of more than 600 domestic spacecraft. According to him, the main goal of the project is to achieve high-quality space-based communication services to support Russia’s development and security.

Experts note that in terms of data transmission speed, Skif is closer to Western projects than another Roscosmos initiative, Express-RV. Three Express satellites are planned for launch in 2026, but they will not be able to provide consumers with high-speed internet due to high latency, as they are part of a high-orbit constellation. At the same time, only a few satellites are needed for Express, while up to a hundred will be required for Skif.