16 x Rassvet-3

Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M launched 16 x Rassvet-3 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation on March 23, 2026 at 05:24 PM UTC. The Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) carried out this mission, which placed the payload into a Polar Orbit. Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M, provided by ROSCOSMOS, lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, delivering the 16 x Rassvet-3 satellites to their intended orbit. The launch of 16 x Rassvet-3 by Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M marked a successful completion of the mission.

The payload consisted of 16 Rassvet-3 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites, which were operated by the Russian Byuro-1440 (Bureau 1440) as part of their constellation. The Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS), which provided the Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M launch vehicle, enabled the deployment of these satellites to expand broadband high-speed internet access in Russia. Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M delivered the Rassvet-3 satellites to a Polar Orbit, where they served to provide communication services for the Byuro-1440 constellation, with ROSCOSMOS having successfully completed the launch of the 16 x Rassvet-3 mission.