Bureau 1440 to Test Satellite Internet on Trains
The trials will cover different regions of the country.
Russia continues to build a network to provide access to high-speed satellite communications. The ambitious project is being developed by Bureau 1440, part of X Holding. The company is pursuing two tracks in parallel: gradually expanding its satellite constellation while developing ground-based user terminals.
Broadest Possible Coverage
Developers are now set to begin testing their satellite terminals in real-world conditions very soon. Russian Railways is partnering on the project. Several trains will be equipped with advanced terminals that will be used to assess service quality, X Holding CEO Alexey Shelobkov said.
Testing of the satellite communications kits will begin shortly, not only in the Russian Far East but also in Krasnoyarsk, as well as in the southern and northern parts of the country. Bureau 1440’s user terminal for rail transport has already passed mechanical tests aboard a laboratory railcar.
“We are covering fairly large areas to see how our service performs. For example, together with Russian Railways, we have already installed the first terminal on a long-distance train, so we will be testing the service over the coming days and weeks. We have successfully produced all the terminals we need for this year’s trials,” Alexey Shelobkov said.
Ahead of Schedule
Shelobkov added that the trials will begin somewhat earlier than originally planned. All the equipment required for testing has already been manufactured. Serial production of the terminals could be established in the Russian Far East.
Bureau 1440 and Federal Passenger Company, part of Russian Railways, announced closer cooperation in June this year at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The companies formally approved a plan to deploy satellite communications on long-distance trains. The plan calls for the phased installation of satellite communications based on Bureau 1440’s low-Earth-orbit constellation. Under the plan, passengers on around 400 long-distance trainsets will gain access to high-speed internet.
Federal Passenger Company also noted that satellite internet would allow it to speed up the handling of many operational tasks.
How It Started
The Rassvet (Dawn) low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation project has been under development for several years. The full constellation is expected to comprise about 290 spacecraft, operating at an altitude of roughly 800 kilometers above Earth. This architecture will make global coverage possible without the need to deploy thousands of satellites.
The project’s practical implementation is considered to have begun on June 27, 2023, when the first three spacecraft were launched as part of the Rassvet-1 (Dawn-1) mission. They were used to test broadband data transmission technologies, satellite control and the operation of ground infrastructure.
Three more satellites were launched in 2024. For the first time in Russia’s space industry, they used 5G NTN technology to connect satellites with subscribers; the mission also tested inter-satellite laser links.
First Operational Satellites in Orbit
In 2026, the direct deployment of the operational constellation began. The first 16 spacecraft were launched on March 23, 2026. They were placed into a parking orbit, separated from the Soyuz 2.1b launch vehicle and placed under the control of the Bureau 1440 Mission Control Center. After checks were completed and their onboard systems were activated, the satellites began moving toward their target orbit. On July 20, the company launched another 16 spacecraft into orbit.
The start of ground-equipment testing on trains is clearly one of the most important stages in the ambitious project. Its results will largely determine when the service can enter commercial operation. Developers are currently targeting 2027, but reaching that goal will require further expansion of the orbital constellation. It is also not enough simply to launch the spacecraft – all of them must operate properly once in orbit.
