Russia's Plesetsk Cosmodrome Faces Drone Threat Amid Satellite Launches
Russia cloaks launch schedule after spaceport falls in Ukraine's sights
Ars Technica
Image: Ars Technica
Russia's Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk region has reportedly faced multiple drone attack attempts while ramping up launches for its satellite network, Rassvet, similar to SpaceX's Starlink. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, has been developing this network with significant government funding, despite security threats to its operations.
- 01Plesetsk Cosmodrome has faced drone attack attempts recently.
- 02Russia is launching a satellite network called Rassvet, akin to SpaceX's Starlink.
- 03The Russian government has invested over $1.2 billion in the Rassvet project.
- 04The first batch of Rassvet satellites was launched on March 23.
- 05Local authorities in Mirny issued warnings about potential drone threats.
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The Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a military spaceport located in Russia's Arkhangelsk region, has reportedly been targeted by drone attacks in recent months. Despite these threats, Russia is intensifying its efforts to launch a new constellation of satellites known as Rassvet, which aims to provide Internet and data relay services similar to SpaceX's Starlink. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, led by Dmitry Bakanov, announced the successful launch of the first batch of 16 Rassvet satellites on March 23, 2025, using a Soyuz-2.1b rocket. The project has received substantial backing from the Russian government, amounting to over $1.2 billion. Local authorities in Mirny, the nearest town to the cosmodrome, warned residents of a potential drone threat, leading to temporary restrictions on mobile Internet services as a precautionary measure. Despite the challenges, Bakanov assured President Vladimir Putin that the security measures in place successfully protected the launch operations.
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The drone threats and subsequent security measures could disrupt local Internet services and affect residents' daily lives in Mirny.
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