Russia Launches New Arctic Observation Satellite System for Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring and Commercial Navigation

Russia has recently launched a new Arctic observation satellite system over the weekend, providing continuous meteorological and environmental monitoring of the Arctic surface. The system relies on data from two Arktika-M satellites operated by Roscosmos. The first satellite was launched in February 2021, followed by the second satellite in December of the same year.

The full Arktika mission constellation is set to include a total of 10 Earth-orbiting satellites, including communication and GPS satellites, commercial satellites, and remote sensing satellites. These will be positioned in a Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) to ensure around-the-clock coverage of high latitudes. This is a first of its kind globally and will provide crucial telecommunications services for air traffic and commercial shipping in the Arctic region.

The Arktika system will also have various applications, including hydrocarbon exploration to support Russia’s efforts in exploiting the Arctic’s oil and gas resources. As sea ice in the Arctic continues to recede, shipping activity along this route is expected to increase. Russia has been heavily investing in the development of the Northern Sea Route near the Siberian coastline, aiming to establish it as an alternative shipping route that significantly reduces the distance between the Far East and the West compared to the Suez Canal route.