A remark by Roscosmos chairman Dmitry Bakanov on September 28, 2026, about the use of a Russian eight-core “Elbrus” processor in the control system of the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle attracted considerable attention. However, the phrase that new rockets will “receive this processor” can easily create the wrong impression: as if an ordinary multi-core “Elbrus” processor had been installed inside the rocket instead than a specialized onboard computer.
In reality, the architecture is more complex. Roscosmos later stated that the Elbrus processors are being used in the ground phase of the “vehicle-to-ground” control complex. This clarification fundamentally changes how the announcement should be understood.
What the Roscosmos Chief Actually Said
During a plenary session of the Microelectronics-2026 forum, Dmitry Bakanov stated that a Russian eight-core “Elbrus” processor had been used for the first time in the control system of the new Soyuz-5 rocket, replacing a foreign solution. According to him, the implementation of the new computing platform lowered power usage while improving data-transfer speeds.
TASS further quoted Bakanov as saying that the technology will be used on two more rockets scheduled for construction in 2027. This wording led to headlines suggesting that future Soyuz rockets would “get Elbrus.”
But “getting the processor” in this situation does not mean that the eight-core CPU will perform all of the rocket’s onboard control functions during flight.
“Vehicle-to-Ground” Is More Than Electronics Inside the Rocket
A modern launch vehicle is part of a distributed system. The rocket has its own onboard control equipment, but there is also a ground segment responsible for preparation, monitoring, and contact with the vehicle during the launch.
This is where a high-performance general-purpose processor can be particularly useful.
The ground system has to receive and process massive amounts of telemetry transmitted by the rocket. Operators and automated systems collect information about the state of various subsystems, monitor flight parameters, and assess equipment performance. The computing infrastructure also participates in the preparation and processing of flight information and facilitates data exchange between the ground complex and the vehicle.
For these jobs, eight computing cores can be considerably more appropriate than they would be for directly guiding the rocket.
According to sources citing Roscosmos, the organization clearly confirmed that the Elbrus processor was used in the ground segment of the “vehicle-to-ground” control complex. The move to the new architecture also required the software of the entire complex to be rebuilt.
Why an Eight-Core Elbrus Does Not Mean an Eight-Core Computer Inside the Rocket
The onboard control system of a rocket has completely different requirements.
During flight, the rocket must autonomously process inputs from its navigation system, gyroscopes, accelerometers, and other sensors in real time. Based on this information, the system creates control commands related to the vehicle’s orientation and movement and interacts with its actuators.
Here, maximum processing performance—the quality that matters for servers or workstations—is not the fundamental requirement. Predictable operation, fault tolerance, deterministic behavior, and the capacity to work under extremely demanding environmental conditions are far more crucial.
For space and rocket technologies, resistance to radiation and other environmental variables is very critical. Russian research on microelectronics for space systems has therefore focused primarily on radiation-hardened and fault-tolerant processors and microcircuits.
Consequently, comparing the processor used in the ground complex with a conventional personal-computer processor—and especially presuming that the same processor has been installed in the rocket’s onboard computer—would be deceptive.
The Onboard Computer Has a Different Job
The onboard digital computer, or ODC, is a specialized component of the rocket’s control system. It is not meant to run office applications, process huge databases, or perform a wide range of general-purpose computing tasks.
Its duty is much smaller, but at the same time considerably more demanding: it must run control algorithms at precisely defined moments and continue functioning despite environmental conditions that would be unacceptable for a conventional computer.
The history of Russian onboard computing systems exemplifies this approach. Specialized microcircuits, including processors from the 1867 family, have been used in the construction of onboard computing modules geared around the requirements of embedded systems.
In other words, a rocket does not necessarily need a processor with dozens or hundreds of gigaflops of computing performance. If the control algorithms demand much fewer resources, increased performance gives little practical value while potentially making reliability assurance and certification more complicated.
What Has Actually Changed on Soyuz-5
At the same time, the significance of Elbrus for the Soyuz-5 project should not be understated.
This is not simply a matter of replacing one microchip with another. According to Bakanov, the developers had to build the hardware and software components of the computer platform themselves. Moving to the new architecture required the existing software to be adapted.
As a result, according to Roscosmos, the new design cut power consumption while improving data-transfer speeds. This directly concerns the efficiency of the ground computing infrastructure.
The first test launch of Soyuz-5 took place on April 30, 2026, from Baikonur as part of the Baiterek project. The new computing configuration consequently gets the opportunity to be validated as part of a genuine launch process.
What Will the 2027 Rockets Receive?
The statement concerning the two rockets scheduled for 2027 should therefore be understood more precisely as an intention to extend the Elbrus-based computing platform technology into the “vehicle-to-ground” control system, rather than as an announcement that the specialized onboard electronics will be replaced by a civilian eight-core processor.
This distinction is essential.
Elbrus has undoubtedly penetrated Russia’s rocket and space infrastructure, but its position on Soyuz-5 is far more interesting than the basic image of a “Russian processor installed inside the rocket.”
The development symbolizes the introduction of a domestic computer architecture into a vital ground section of the launch vehicle’s control system, where high performance, multithreading, telemetry processing and managing massive volumes of data have true practical significance.