Russia wants 288 satellite mega-constellation
May 25, 2018
By Chris Forrester
Russia has plans to join the club of major players with massive satellite constellations.
Russian news agency TASS says that Russian Space Systems Company (Roscosmos) wants to create a global constellation of 288 satellites, operating from 870 kms above the ground.
The constellation, called Efir, would start operating in 2025, says the report quoting project chief Yuri Mishin.
“The system will be quite universal. We plan [to embrace] 10,000 mobile transport objects, 10,000 outlets of collective access to the Internet, 10 million personal communication subscribers and provide for about a billion transactions a day via secure channels,” Mishin said.
“Upon the development of this system, the state will be able to implement mobile personal departmental emergency communications on the entire territory of Russia. Business will be able to develop its services of managing offices and production facilities and drones. At the same time, citizens will be able to be always in contact, including while on the move,” he said, adding that Russian Space Systems Company planned to establish an open community of the developers of devices and services and was inviting all the parties concerned for cooperation.