All sixteen satellites of the second batch of Russia’s Rassvet broadband satellite constellation that were launched in July have failed to reach their proper orbital altitude, with at least two satellites likely to burn up in the atmosphere in the very near future.

None of the satellites in the second batch, launched on July 19, had reached the anticipated altitude of 550 kilometers (342 miles) as of Aug. 31, according to satellite-tracking data cited by ISW [Institute for the Study of War]. Many remained between 300 and 400 kilometers (186-249 miles), while some were experiencing orbital decay. At least two were reportedly heading toward reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.

Of the first batch of 16 launched in March 2026, only 12 reached their proper orbit, with one quickly falling back to Earth. According to the article at the link, this gives “Russian forces with two daily connectivity windows over Ukraine, lasting up to 90 minutes each.”

The entire Rassvet constellation aims to place 700+ satellites into orbit by 2035 and provide it capabilities similar to Starlink. Based on the results from these first two launches, however, it is not likely Russia will meet this time schedule. Moreover, the Ukraine has been taking aggressive action with its drones to hit both the factory that makes the Soyuz-2 rocket that launches Rassvet satellites as well as the launch site in Plesetsk where these launches occur.

Finally, that only 37.5% of these Rassvet satellites have been able to reach their proper orbit suggests a major technical defect in the design of the satellites’ propulsion system, a defect that must be fixed before further launches can occur. That defect is also evidence that the long-standing quality control issues in Russia’s space industry remain a serious problem, and suggests that no Russian space project is likely to succeed in the near future.