Roscosmos has announced an ambitious plan to deploy three experimental reconnaissance satellites over the 2025 to 2026 window. The disclosure came in an interview aired on Russia 24, where the agency’s leadership outlined the project as a pivotal step in expanding Russia’s space-based observation capability.
The plan involves developing three highly capable reconnaissance platforms: two designed for optical observation and one optimized for positional or radar-type sensing. The goal is to field these units within two years, with the objective of forming the backbone of a future multi-satellite constellation intended for comprehensive Earth remote sensing. This constellation would provide enhanced data collection across weather, climate, land use, and disaster monitoring applications, strengthening capabilities in both civilian and strategic contexts.
In related activity, a Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle, previously used for military and other payloads, recently carried a satellite from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region. The mission underscores ongoing developments in Russia’s orbital launch infrastructure and the practical use of existing launch assets to support new remote sensing technologies.
Roscosmos has also highlighted the broader industrial capacity that its affiliated enterprises can mobilize. Officials project that the combined production and launch capabilities could support the deployment of more than two thousand unmanned aerial systems into orbit by the mid-2030s, reflecting a long-term push to scale up space-based data collection, automation, and national space capability across multiple sectors.
Earlier, commentary from British observers suggested there had been notable developments in the global satellite market for climate observation, underscoring the intense international interest in improving climate monitoring through high-resolution imaging and advanced sensing technologies. This context reinforces why Russia is prioritizing a robust, modernized approach to satellite development and orbital operations, with a clear emphasis on expanding access to timely environmental data and space-enabled services for national security, economic planning, and scientific research.