Russia uses Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicles to put Rassvet satellites into orbit, which are considered an analogue of Starlink. Components for these rockets, with the exception of engines, are manufactured at the Progress plant, which was recently targeted by Ukrainian Flamingo missiles.
This was reported on Facebook by Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, a freelance adviser to the President of Ukraine.
According to him, both Rassvet satellite launches took place from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Russia can also launch such satellites into orbit from the Baikonur and Vostochny cosmodromes.
“One Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle puts 20 satellites into orbit. For Russia to establish a basic satellite constellation in orbit, it would need to conduct 12–15 launches,” Beskrestnov said.
He said that all Soyuz-2.1b components, except the engines, are manufactured by the Progress plant. According to the presidential adviser, it is currently unclear what damage the facility sustained in the Ukrainian strike and how this could affect the Rassvet launch schedule.
“Clearly, destroying such a huge rocket manufacturing facility would require considerable effort. Parts of completed rockets may also be stored at cosmodromes or be in transit,” he added.
Beskrestnov also noted that Russia has another potential option for launching the satellites — the Angara-A5 rocket. It is manufactured in Omsk and launched much less frequently, approximately once a year. In theory, a single rocket of this type can put up to 60 satellites into orbit.
At the same time, the presidential adviser said he did not know whether Russia currently has an Angara-A5 in a launch-ready state.
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Earlier, the Defence Forces struck the Progress facility in Russia’s Samara region, which is part of Roscosmos and manufactures electronics. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian Flamingo missiles were used in the strike.