Russia is targeting October 24, 2031, for the launch of its Spectr-UV space telescope, a major astronomical observatory designed to conduct ultraviolet observations and expand scientific research beyond the capabilities of existing space-based instruments.
Alexander Shakhanov, a senior official at the Lavochkin Association, part of Russia’s state space corporation Roscosmos, announced the planned launch date during the Ultraviolet Universe-2026 conference in Moscow. Detailed engineering work for launch systems and ground infrastructure is expected to begin in January 2027.
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The telescope is scheduled to be launched aboard an Angara-A5M rocket equipped with a Persei upper stage developed by Energia Rocket and Space Corporation. Both organizations are part of Roscosmos.
Spectr-UV is planned to operate for at least five years, with its initial mission scheduled to run through October 2036. Scientists believe the observatory could potentially continue operating beyond its planned mission period.
The project is expected to benefit from experience gained through Russia’s Spectr-RG space observatory. Engineers are planning to use existing tracking and communications infrastructure, including facilities at Baikonur and Medvezhye Ozyora near Moscow, while scientific data could be received at observatories in Simeiz and Zvenigorod in Russia, as well as the ESSTI observatory in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Earlier, Mikhail Sachkov, director of the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said testing of the Spectr-UV telescope was approaching completion.
The observatory is expected to occupy an orbit approximately 35,000 kilometers above Earth, significantly higher than the Hubble Space Telescope. Equipped with specialized instruments for ultraviolet observations, Spectr-UV is expected to provide scientists with new data on astronomical objects and processes that cannot be fully studied using visible-light observations alone.
If launched as planned, Spectr-UV could become the world’s only dedicated space telescope focused on ultraviolet observations for a significant period, potentially extending through at least 2041.
The mission represents another step in the development of space-based astronomy and could contribute to international scientific research through data collected from its high-altitude orbit and advanced ultraviolet instruments.
