Forrester’s Digest: Putin wants to increase size of satellite fleet

Russian news agency Interfax reports that the size of Russia’s operating satellite constellation should be increased drastically, but Russian President Vladimir Putin said he believes the cost of space launches should decline.

As part of such close cooperation between the state and business, it is necessary to drastically enlarge the composition of the existing Russian satellite constellation as quickly as possible and ensure the creation and operation of our own multi-satellite constellations,” Putin said ahead of his flight to Alaska.

It is necessary to considerably, drastically to be precise, reduce the cost of delivering spacecraft to near-Earth orbit, create infrastructure exactly for mass launches of satellites, including small spacecraft, and provide private technological companies with access to them,” Putin added.