Way North: RSCC talks about the evolution of communications in the Arctic at Satellite Russia & CIS Conference

The sessions hosted the representatives of space industry enterprises, Russian and foreign satellite operators, the International Telecommunication Union, Roscosmos State Corporation, and Russian space startups.

As part of a discussion about the role of satellite communications in Russia’s socially and politically significant projects, Evgeny Buydinov, Deputy Director General for Communications Systems Development and Operation, spoke about how satellite communications are arranged on the Northern Sea Route. The provision of quality communication services throughout the NSR is among the priorities for RSCC. This Russian passage is of paramount importance for the development of the Arctic Region and the rest of the country. More than 65,000 people per year are planned to pass the Northern Sea Route in the Arctic as crew members by 2035. And satellite communications are the only thing that can allow ship crews, rotation workers, and expedition participants to access the Internet, mapping information and other communications services in real time.

“Ten years ago, in 2012, we were able to equip the ice class vessel for research expeditions Mikhail Somov with a satellite station; it passed the Northern Sea Route, thus confirming the possibility of providing communications using geostationary satellites. It does feature communications, and they are much better now. Currently, three satellites are involved in the Northern Sea Route coverage, i.e., in the east (Express-AM5), in central Russia (Express-103), and in the west (Express-AM6). They ensure virtually 100% service along the entire route,” Evgeny Buydinov said.

RSCC is responsible for both maritime and land communications in the Arctic. State-of-the-art digital services using satellite VSAT technologies from RSCC are received by 60 hard-to-reach stations of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Rosgidromet), the Russian Arctic National Park, the Russian Center for Arctic Development, and the population of 377 human settlements in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation.