Ukrainian communications company Himera and Danish satellite manufacturer GomSpace have sent Obria nano, a test satellite, into orbit as a first step towards an independent Ukrainian communications network.
Himera told Ukrainska Pravda on Tuesday (October 27) that the satellite reached orbit aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission on October 1 and will already be operational.
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“The technical tests should provide the necessary practical experience for the further development of the project in the Ukrainian national infrastructure,” Himera said.
Although the launch relied on a SpaceX rocket, the satellite itself will be controlled by a Ukrainian operator and will serve Ukraine’s strategic security needs. The project comes as kyiv seeks to reduce its reliance on SpaceX’s Starshield service, amid recent disruption and diplomatic tensions with Washington.
Reduce dependence on foreign technologies
Ukraine’s dependence on foreign-produced technologies creates strategic risks, especially in wartime, Himera argued. Building capacity at the national level, the company said, would expand the country’s communications options and strengthen its security.
Ultimately, the company plans to deploy a constellation of satellites covering the entire Ukrainian territory.
The network would also complement existing European satellite systems and form the basis of a sovereign Ukrainian communications system.
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Shifting production of satellites and ground terminals to Ukraine is Himera’s next priority, as this could help kyiv develop its own expertise in satellite communications, while gradually expanding domestic production.
Ukraine also signed seven agreements with Finland on October 22, including deals to expand Kyiv’s use of Finnish satellite capabilities through Nokia and ICEYE.
“We agreed that we would make greater use of Finland’s satellite capabilities,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier. “This is important for our defense and for Ukraine’s resilience.”
Radios tested in the field by military intelligence
A unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) tested Himera’s tactical radios – HIMERA G1 PRO radios and HIMERA B1 repeater – in real combat conditions, the company said in an October 15 statement.
HUR testers reportedly praised the durable housing, simple setup, compact repeater, and long battery life.
According to Himera, the radios worked for up to four days on a single charge, even at low temperatures and high humidity.
However, the main improvement users requested was much better sound quality for the G1 PRO. At the time, Himera said it had already sent a beta to some users and said it was collecting their feedback for the next update.
The Russian national Starlink: Rassvet
Meanwhile, Russia is working on its own domestic alternative to Starlink.
Built by Russian company Bureau 1440, Rassvet is a low-orbit satellite broadband service that users can connect to via dedicated terminals that relay data to overhead satellites.
Major General Ilya Pavlenko, who served as deputy head of the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) from 2015 to 2020, told Interfax-Ukraine that Russia’s Rassvet satellite network could eventually allow its forces to control long-range drones over Ukraine in real time.
He warned against abandoning the project due to problems with its first satellites, arguing that the network could later be used as another tool of hybrid warfare against Europe.
Office 1440 says the finished system will operate at an altitude of about 800 kilometers (497 miles), offer speeds of up to 1 Gbps with delays of up to 70 milliseconds, and use 5G non-terrestrial network standards and laser links between satellites.
According to Pavlenko, Russia is also moving its jet drone factories underground, which could further limit Ukraine’s ability to break manufacturing cycles or destroy drones.
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