Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Sputnik day: My combo of movie frames forms a new tall view of the R-7 missile on a monumental open pad in Tyuratam in 1957. It was a very bulky weapon, but on Oct. 4 of that year, it became the world's first space launcher. FULL STORY OF SPUTNIK: russianspaceweb.com/sputnik.html 0194
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 01/10/2026The 310th mission in the ISS project is underway: russianspaceweb.com/iss_chronolo... 191
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 30/09/2026More than half a century after the first Moon landing, we are finally getting a better idea how the Apollo's Soviet rival would really look like in space had it make it there... For starters, no green thermal blankets. Stay tuned for much more! CONTEXT: russianspaceweb.com/l3.html 0141
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Moscow-based Skobeltsin NIIYaF nuclear physics institute reconfirms its plans for a small-class mission to asteroid Apophis, sets launch date for the end of 2028: russianspaceweb.com/apophis.html 291
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 30/09/2026While everybody is focused on "Russian Starlink," Moscow is also massively investing in modernization of its orbital imaging assets. Details (subscription): russianspaceweb.com/insider-cont... 010
Reposted by Anatoly ZakSpacePolicyOnline @spacepolicyonline.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Uncrewed Starliner-1 no earlier than Dec 2026. Crewed Starliner-2 "in 2028." Woody Hoburg will command that one. Need to redesign the poppets. 1152
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Some 22 years in the making, our new section on the Soviet counterpart to the Apollo — the LOK lunar transport vehicle — is now online. In-depth info from archival sources, rare photos and, of course, digital reconstructions in unprecedented detail and color fidelity: russianspaceweb.com/lok.htmlrussianspaceweb.comLunar Orbital Vehicle of the L3 expeditionary complexHistory and design of the Lunar Orbital Vehicle, LOK, from the Soviet L3 expeditionary complex by Anatoly Zak | Editor: Alain Chabot 1161
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 24/09/2026The "Russian Starlink" developer confirms work on the new-generation satellites at Buro 1440. Context on the site (subscription): russianspaceweb.com/insider-cont... 150
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 23/09/2026In his report to the Prime Minister yesterday, Roskosmos head announced ~60 satellites launched in 2026 and the total in orbital grouping reaching ~400, though 300 satellites were claimed to be in orbit in 2025. So, not sure how this math works. CONTEXT: russianspaceweb.com/2026.html 192
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Russia's first "private" radar imager undergoes testing in orbit with potential implications for the military. DETAILS (subscription): russianspaceweb.com/insider-cont... 052
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Classic of rocketry: Introduction to the RD-107 engine. (Subscription, Part I): russianspaceweb.com/insider-cont... 080
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 19/09/2026Progress MS-35 docks at ISS. DETAILS, CONTEXT: russianspaceweb.com/progress-ms-... 1162
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 19/09/2026NASA: Progress MS-35 cargo ship is on track for docking with the ISS in around 45 minutes. Watch it live here: www.youtube.com/live/v03RjDN...youtube.comProgress 96 Cargo Ship DockingYouTube video by NASA 120
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Roskosmos confirms the Soyuz-2-1b launch with a military spacecraft from Plesetsk. No time of liftoff was given as becoming customary in the new reality. Details: russianspaceweb.com/spacecraft-m...russianspaceweb.comSoyuz launch from Plesetsk on Sept. 17, 2026Soyuz-2 launch from Plesetsk on Sept. 17, 2026 160
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Multiple eyewitnesses report an apparent Soyuz rocket launch with a military payload from Plesetsk, matching an opening of the window reported in newly announced air and sea traffic restrictions. Developing story... 1151
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 16/09/2026A Soyuz-2-1b rocket with the Progress MS-35 cargo ship lifts off from Baikonur on the ISS resupply mission. Mission progress: russianspaceweb.com/progress-ms-... 1103
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 16/09/2026A launch vehicle for the Progress MS-35 mission is being fueled for launch, but so far, there is no traditional live broadcast announcement from either NASA or Roskosmos. (Maybe waiting for an official permission from Zelensky: russianspaceweb.com/progress-ms-...russianspaceweb.comProgress MS-35 to resupply ISSHistory of the Progress MS-35 mission to the ISS 1111
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 15/09/202650 YEARS AGO TODAY: russianspaceweb.com/soyuz22.htmlrussianspaceweb.comSoyuz flies its last solo missionSoyuz-22 mission 2124
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Progress MS-35 to lift off on Wednesday. Will chronicle it here: russianspaceweb.com/progress-ms-...russianspaceweb.comProgress MS-35 to resupply ISSHistory of the Progress MS-35 mission to the ISS 060
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Soyuz rocket with the Progress MS-35 cargo ship rolled back to the launch pad this morning for a second launch attempt on Wednesday, according to Kazakh media: russianspaceweb.com/2026.html#pr... 072
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Comparison of the DOS-1 (Salyut-1) space station (left) and the follow-on DOS-2, which was to be Salyut-2 but never announced to the world because its launch failed. Find five differences. FULL STORY: russianspaceweb.com/salyut-dos2.... 2114
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 11/09/2026The International Space Summit this week was held in Grand Palais in Paris, which was also a site of a huge Roskosmos and Russian defense industry exhibit in 2010 — something totally unthinkable today. Many pics I took there are preserved on RussianSpaceWeb.com, but here are a few unpublished: 0112
Reposted by Anatoly ZakESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 10/09/2026🚀 Europe is taking a major step towards autonomous cargo transportation in low Earth orbit. @esa.int has signed a contract with The Exploration Company under ALADDIN for an initial Nyx demonstration mission to the International Space Station and future cargo services. 🔗 www.esa.int/Newsroom/Pre... 28217
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Some visible damage to a Proton-PM facility in Novye Lyady (Perm Region) after an unexplained fire: 1104
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Russian Deputy Prime Minister said that Russian hardware, such as spacesuits and cosmonaut seats, could be used in the Indian space program and joint flights to Russian and Indian space stations are also possible, according to Interfax. 171
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Russia kept Soviet-era anti-satellite vehicles at a secret facility in Baikonur (visible on the right on my photo below) long after the Cold War, according to a semi-cryptic account surfaced on the NK forum and which I put into context here: russianspaceweb.com/is.html#mu 1165
Reposted by Anatoly ZakSpacePolicyOnline @spacepolicyonline.bsky.social · 09/09/2026The Progress MS-35/96P launch is, indeed, postponed according to the NASA Live website that lists upcoming NASA programming. 073
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 09/09/2026NASA added the following line to its Progress MS-35 launch coverage announcement (which was suppose to proceed in around an hour, according to original plans): www.nasa.gov/news-release... 060
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Unofficially, I hear that the Progress MS-35 launch delay was caused by a hydraulics issue. The liftoff was supposed to take place tomorrow, but until now, there is no confirmation that it would not take place from Roskosmos. Context: russianspaceweb.com/2026.html#pr... 0183
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Despite reported launch delay of the Progress MS-35 mission, Progress MS-33 departed the ISS as planned to make way for a fresh delivery: russianspaceweb.com/progress-ms-... 053
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Multiple unofficial Russian and Kazakh sources report that Wednesday's launch of Progress MS-35 to the ISS had to be postponed for an undetermined time and its launch vehicle returned to processing building due to a problem with the 3rd stage: russianspaceweb.com/2026.html#pr... 2196
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 06/09/2026European (sans USSR/RF) orbital rocket/launch site firsts: Diamant/Hammaguir (Algeria): 1965 Black Arrow/Woomera (Australia): 1971 Ariane-1-4/Kourou (French Guiana): 1979 Ariane-5: 1997* Vega: 2012 Ariane-6: 2024 Spectrum/Andoya (Norway): 2026: russianspaceweb.com/chronology_X... 1100
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 06/09/2026The Progress MS-35 cargo ship was rolled out to the launch pad at Site 31 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, this morning, in preparation for a liftoff to the International Space Station on Wednesday: russianspaceweb.com/2026.html#pr...russianspaceweb.comSpace exploration in 2026Space exploration in 2025 by Anatoly Zak 090
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Soviet concepts (including the adopted version on the right) for incorporating the upgraded propulsion section of the Soyuz spacecraft into the hull of the Almaz space station to form the original Salyut design. CONTEXT: russianspaceweb.com/salyut1-orig... 1143
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 03/09/2026NASA copverage of Progress MS-35 launch: www.nasa.gov/news-release...nasa.govNASA to Cover Progress 96 Spacecraft Launch, Docking - NASAThe unpiloted Progress 96 resupply spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 12:15 p.m. EDT (9:15 p.m. Baikonur time), Wednesday, Sept. 9, on a Soyuz rocket from 051
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Surfaced procurement documents indicate that ground terminals (not the one on the photo) for "Russian Starlink" would be much bulkier, heavier and more expensive than their US equivalents, hopefully, severely restricting their use in Ukraine. Details on the site (subscription): russianspaceweb.com 0100
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 02/09/2026The Proton-PM plant, which produces RD-191/191M engines for the Angara family of space launchers and RD-274-based engines for the Sarmat ICBMs, is on fire. There were no reports of drone activity in the region: russianspaceweb.com/rd191.htmlrussianspaceweb.comThe RD-191 engineHistory of the RD-181 engine by Anatoly Zak 1214
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 29/08/2026RKK Energia reports the Progress MS-35 launch campaign going into irreversible operations ahead of the next cargo mission to the ISS on September 9. The Soyuz launch vehicle for mission is also being assembled. Details: russianspaceweb.com/2026.html#pr... 070
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Another set of NOTAMs (launch warnings issued earlier this month) have materialized today with a test launch of a Topol-M-based Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from Plesetsk toward an impact site on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Context: russianspaceweb.com/topolm.html 030
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Voronezh startup showcases a mockup of the 2nd stage booster for its planned micro-launcher closely matching the design we reported about last year and featuring the NK-3 engine largely borrowed from Soyuz rocket's vernier thrusters... MORE (subscription): russianspaceweb.com/insider-cont... 1182
Reposted by Anatoly ZakT.S. Kelso @tskelso.bsky.social · 26/08/2026CelesTrak has GP data for 2 objects from the launch (2026-194) of GLONASS-K1 19L atop a Soyuz-2.1b rocket from Plesetsk Cosmodrome on Aug 24 at 0240 UTC: www.russianspaceweb.com/spacecraft-m.... Data for the launch can be found at: celestrak.org/NORAD/elemen.... 061
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 26/08/2026The Russian military and Roskosmos never identified a payload in yesterday's Soyuz launch, but the US Space Force did it for them. It is confirmed as Fregat with a fresh GLONASS satellite. FULL STORY: russianspaceweb.com/spacecraft-m...russianspaceweb.comSoyuz rocket delivers fresh GLONASS navsatSoyuz-2-1b launch from Plesetsk on Aug. 24, 2026, with a GLONASS satellite 2123
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 25/08/2026A combined chart showing "Russian Starlink" orbit-boosting progress with the March 24 launch on the left and the July 19 launch on the right. None reached expected ~800-kilometer (stable) orbit, but a group of ~14 satellites is forming a "chain" at an altitude of ~500 kilometers: 0105
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 24/08/2026The "Russian Starlink" is about to lose two more satellites to atmospheric drag, while the rest in the constellation's second group seemingly struggles climbing to a more-or-less stable orbit. Details: russianspaceweb.com/buro1440-202...russianspaceweb.comLaunch from Plesetsk delivers 2nd batch of Buro 1440 payloads into low orbitBuro 1440 launch on July 19, 2026 1114
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 24/08/202650 years ago today: Soyuz-21 prematurely departs the Salyut-5 space station after its overworked crew runs into health problems. FULL STORY: russianspaceweb.com/soyuz21.html 083
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 24/08/2026russianspaceweb.com/spacecraft-m...russianspaceweb.comSoyuz rocket delivers milsat from PlesetskSoyuz-2-1b launch from Plesetsk on Aug. 24, 2026 240
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 23/08/2026Fresh reports of a possible air attack on the Plesetsk spaceport coinciding with known preparation of a military space launch from the facility: russianspaceweb.com/2026.htmlrussianspaceweb.comSpace exploration in 2026Space exploration in 2025 by Anatoly Zak 0117
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 19/08/2026General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces published its own interpretation of the strike on RKTs Progress claiming that the largest damage affected the aircraft hardware servicing hall and the second hit damaged the Soyuz rocket engine assembly hall. CONTEXT: russianspaceweb.com/soyuz_lv_202... 1106
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 18/08/2026I am happy to say that our one-of-a-kind subscription section on RussianSpaceWeb.com reached 500 pages, many of which have been updated over the years, so with a just $50 subscription, you can access this incredible archive of behind-the-scene information for mere 10 cents per article. (cont.)... 180
Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 15/08/2026This is an appropriate time to post our annual page on the Soyuz rocket history. We will track all the latest developments here. Please check it periodically for more details: russianspaceweb.com/soyuz_lv_202...russianspaceweb.comSoyuz rocket producer hitSoyuz rocket family in 2026 0121