At the Academician M.F. Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Enterprise (part of the Roscosmos State Corporation) The stage of assembly and testing of the demonstration spacecraft of broadband Internet access "Skif-D" has started.
It will be the first satellite launched under the Sphere program, one of the key projects of Roscosmos, which is designed to solve the problem of digital inequality and is aimed at the development of space information technologies. For this program, ISS performs work on the manufacture of spacecraft within the framework of the Skif and Marathon projects.
Work on the Skif-D satellite started at the enterprise in the second half of 2020. Certain difficulties arose after the West imposed sanctions in the spring of this year, when foreign partners refused to supply the necessary equipment for the payload and satellite platform. All foreign equipment was promptly replaced with domestic analogues.
Now the satellite design is ready and transferred to the assembly shop. During the time remaining before the Skif-D is sent to the Vostochny cosmodrome, ISS specialists will have to complete the full scope of work on the assembly and testing of the spacecraft. At the end of September, the Skif-D will be transported to Vostochny to prepare for launch. It is planned that the satellite will be sent into orbit together with the three "Messengers-M" at the end of October.
The weight of the Skif-D is no more than 200 kg, the power consumption is about 250 watts. It will be launched into a medium circular orbit with a height of 8070 km. The term of its active existence is three years. The spacecraft will be part of the experimental space system "Skif-D". It is designed to develop new technical solutions for the provision of high-speed Internet access in Russia, including in the Far North and Arctic regions, as well as to protect the orbital frequency resource.
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