Over the weekend, Russia launched the world’s first Arctic observation satellite system. The system will rely 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 purpose of this new constellation is to provide continuous meteorological and environmental monitoring of the Arctic surface, including the Northern Sea Route. This will be a first for the world, as Roscosmos stated that it enables permanent observation of the Arctic regions and its surrounding areas.
Roscosmos is set to launch a total of 10 Earth-orbiting satellites as part of the full Arktika mission constellation. These will consist of communication and GPS satellites, commercial satellites, and remote sensing satellites. They will be positioned in a Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) to ensure around-the-clock coverage of high latitudes, which is not currently offered by existing international geostationary satellites.
The Arktika system will have various applications, including hydrocarbon exploration to support Russia’s efforts in exploiting the Arctic’s oil and gas resources. Additionally, it will provide crucial telecommunications services for air traffic and commercial shipping in the Arctic region. 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
