After reaching the reference orbit, the satellites successfully separated from the launch vehicle and were taken under control of the BURO 1440 control center. The next step is to check the onboard systems and move to the target orbit, according to the company’s Telegram channel.
“The launch of the first vehicles of the target constellation is a transition from experiments to the creation of communication service. BURO 1440 team has passed this way in 1000 days – that’s how many days separate the launch of experimental and serial satellites into orbit. Dozens of launches and hundreds of satellites of the Russian low-orbit constellation for communication service with global coverage are ahead,” the report says.
Russia’s Starlink analog operates in a low-Earth orbit (LEO) of 800 km altitude, while SpaceX’s satellites use an orbit of about 550 km and lower, RBC explains. The increased altitude provides advantages: servicing a greater number of subscribers, fewer vehicles are required for global coverage, at an altitude of 800 km the influence of the atmosphere is weaker, which increases the life of the spacecraft. Among the disadvantages – the higher the altitude, the higher the risk of collisions and long-term accumulation of space debris.
