31.9 C
Delhi
Sunday, August 31, 2025

First satellite of Russian Sfera constellation put into orbit

Date:

Share post:

Donate-GC-Razorpay

Moscow: The Russian Skif-D satellite, the first orbital spacecraft from the Sfera (Sphere) multi-satellite orbital constellation, was successfully put into orbit after the Saturday launch, a spokesperson of Russian state space corporation Roscosmos told journalists.

A Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying the Skif-D satellite and three Gonets-M communications satellites was launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome on October 22, at 22:57 Moscow time (19:57 GMT).

“Separation of all the satellites was completed,” a Roscosmos spokesperson told journalists several hours after the launch, specifying that Skif-D and the Gonets-Ms had all reached their designated orbits.

The Skif-D satellite will demonstrate the capabilities of Russia’s future system of broadband internet called Skif, which will also be part of the Sfera constellation.

It is currently planned that the Sfera constellation will include a total of 162 satellites, not 500, as initially planned. The system will include Express, Express-RV, and Skif satellites for broadband internet access, as well as Marafon satellites for the internet of things (IoT).

Related articles

Self-reliance in Defence is not merely an option, but a condition for survival & progress: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that in today’s era of terrorism, pandemics and regional conflicts, self-reliance...

Putin advocates reforms in UN, IMF to reflect modern realities

Moscow/Beijing: Russian President Vladmir Putin, ahead of the upcoming SCO summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin, lauded...

India’s GDP surges 7.8 pc in Q1 FY 26, led by services and manufacturing

New Delhi: India’s economy sprinted ahead in the first quarter of FY 2025-26, with real Gross Domestic Product...

India crush Nepal 5-0 to clinch SAFF U17 Women’s Championship 2025 title

New Delhi/Thimphu: India’s dominance in South Asian football continued as the U 17 women’s team thrashed Nepal 5-0...