Russia's homegrown Starlink rival, the Rassvet programme, has encountered a significant setback as none of the 16 satellites launched on July 19 reached their planned orbit of 870 kilometers. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), most satellites are stuck at altitudes of 300 to 400 kilometers, with at least two heading for reentry into Earth's atmosphere. These lower altitudes expose the satellites to greater atmospheric drag, reducing their operational lifespans and fuel efficiency. This failure follows a previous launch on March 24, where only 12 of 16 satellites reached their intended altitude of 550 kilometers, providing Russian forces with two daily connectivity windows of up to 90 minutes over Ukraine.