Russia aims to have about 2,600 satellites in orbit by 2036 according to Yury Borisov, head of Roscosmos. The country plans to launch Sfera communications satellites, similar to Starlink and OneWeb constellations, with a goal of at least 1,200 satellites.
The government has allocated 180 billion rubles (U.S. $2 billion) for 162 satellites, but only 95 billion rubles have been allocated so far. The plan includes launching six geostationary satellites with funding available for four of them.
Despite aiming to produce 250 satellites per year, Russia currently makes about 15 annually. Space policy expert Pavel Luzin believes Roscosmos’ goal is unrealistic given the country’s reliance on Western electronics for satellite production.
The state has adjusted its satellite production priorities to focus on dual-use satellites, such as optical reconnaissance satellite Razdan and Glonass communications satellites, for both military and civilian purposes. Former Roscosmos employee Denis Banchenko suggests that most planned satellites will be used for Russian Ministry of Defence intelligence and communication purposes.
