Russia launches three communication satellites

Russia News.Net
Thursday 12th September, 2013

Russia successfully put three satellites into orbit, the federal space agency Roscosmos said Thursday.

“The launch was carried out at 3:22 Moscow time (2322 GMT Wednesday) from the Plesetsk Defense Ministry’s space center (in Northern Russia),” the Roscosmos said in a statement.

A carrier rocket Rokot equipped with the Briz-M booster placed three Gonets-D1M communication satellites into a designated orbit, Roscosmos said.

The Gonets satellites joined a low-orbit group of telecommunication satellites designed to provide communications services for remote areas of Russia, Xinhua reported.

This was Rokot’s first launch after a nine-month suspension used to fix malfunctions in the Briz-M booster.

In January, the Rokot equipped with the same type booster failed to place three military satellites into orbit due to a glitch in the Briz-M systems.

Rokot is the RS-18 (SS-18 by NATO classification) intercontinental ballistic missile converted for commercial space launches. The carrier rockets were put into service since 2000. (ANI)

Leave a comment