Skif-D (14F149)

Skif-D [Roskosmos]

The Russian Skif-D is a prototype for the Skif low earth orbit constellation for broadband high-speed internet access, which is part of the Sfera program.

Sfera is a planned Russian constellation consisting of at least 162 satellites, which would include communication satellites Ekspress and Ekspress-RV in geostationary and high elliptical orbits, Skif satellites for broadband Internet access and Marathon satellites. In addition, the group will include Yamal communication satellites, Smotr remote sensing satellites, and Berkut observation satellites.

Skif-D was built by ISS Reshetnev to test the technologies for the operational Skif satellites.

The launch of the Skif-D demonstrator satellite was conducted in October 2022 on a Soyuz-2-1b Fregat rocket. No object associated with Skif-D has been found in orbit. Possibly it failed to deploy from the Fregat upper stage and was deorbited with it. In January 2023 Russia registered the Skif-D satellite with the UN, reporting it in a 287.9 min, 8071.5 x 8076.5 km x 90.0 deg orbit, but the satellite has still not been cataloged by the US Space Force.