Russia’s new space agency chief Dmitry Bakanov said Moscow is pressing ahead with plans to build a low-Earth orbit satellite constellation to rival Starlink, the internet service run by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
“Several test vehicles in orbit have already been inspected and the production ones have been modified accordingly,” Bakanov told Russian television host Vladimir Solovyov. “We are also moving at a rapid pace in this direction.”
Bureau 1440, a Russian aerospace company, is spearheading the development of the broadband satellite system, he said. Bakanov, 39, acknowledged that Roscosmos had to shed outdated practices and attract more young talent to compete effectively.
Starlink currently operates the world’s largest satellite internet constellation with more than 8,000 satellites, providing services in remote regions and conflict zones. It has been heavily used by Ukrainian forces during the war with Russia.
Bakanov admitted that Russia had underestimated Musk in the past. He recalled a 2002 episode when Russian officials dismissed Musk’s bid to buy an intercontinental missile for commercial launches — a rejection that spurred Musk to undercut Russia’s dominance in space transport.
The Soviet Union led the early space race, launching the first satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957 and putting Yuri Gagarin into orbit in 1961. But Russia’s space ambitions have since faltered, hit by funding shortages, corruption, and setbacks such as the Luna-25 crash during a moon landing attempt in 2023.
Bakanov, previously head of satellite operator Gonets, said the new initiative would mark a reset for Roscosmos.
“We must learn from our mistakes,” he said, adding that Russia aimed to reclaim its position as a leader in global space technology.
Saudi Arabia’s air defences have intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone over the Riyadh region, according to the Saudi-led coalition fight...
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Chât...
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said....
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education and living costs. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
A tenth-grade student was critically injured after a man attacked her with a chainsaw inside a classroom in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district. The girl suffered severe injuries to her head, neck and back, while a classmate who tried to protect her was also hurt.
Saudi Arabia’s air defences have intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone over the Riyadh region, according to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen. No casualties were reported.
Since 2021, only 9 per cent of $8 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan can be traced beyond initial recipients in public records, a Kabul Institute report released on 22 October said. The United Nations says its oversight systems ensure accountability.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment