Russia Completes Satellite Constellation for Arctic Sea Route Monitoring

Russia has completed the deployment of a domestic satellite constellation designed to monitor the Northern Sea Route (NSR), with the system already transmitting data in test mode, according to an announcement made at a meeting of the Council of Northern Sea Route Shipping Participants. Vladimir Panov, Rosatom's Special Representative for Arctic Development, confirmed that the entire constellation is operational and collecting information that will soon be integrated into a Unified Digital Services Platform.

Once fully operational, the satellite system is expected to significantly enhance navigation capabilities across the Northern Sea Route, including in the eastern sector. The integrated data platform will provide comprehensive monitoring of the Arctic shipping corridor, fundamentally improving navigation safety and operational efficiency.

Rosatom indicated that representatives from Roscosmos, Russia's state space corporation, will be invited to a future council meeting to present detailed technical information about the satellite constellation, including its capabilities and potential applications for supporting navigation along the Northern Sea Route. The Council of Northern Sea Route Shipping Participants was established following a presidential meeting on Arctic zone development in April 2022 and regularly reviews proposals to enhance navigation safety and competitiveness of Russian Arctic shipbuilding.