A Russian rocket carrying communications satellites was launched into orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Friday, marking the country’s final space launch of the decade, Space News writes.
The rocket is carrying three Gonets-M communication satellites and a Blitz-M technology satellite to orbit and marks Russia’s 25th space launch this year. The Russian military reported later that the four satellites had been successfully placed into orbit.
Russia has launched a Rokot carrier rocket with 3 Gonets-M communication satellites and one more military satellite, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Friday.
“On Friday 27 December, at 02:11 Moscow time [23:11 GMT on Thursday], a combat unit of the Space Forces of the Aerospace Forces launched the light-class Rokot carrier rocket with several communication satellites of Gonets-M and a space vehicle for the Defense Ministry from the launchpad 3 of platform 133 of the Plesetsk spaceport, Arkhangelsk region,” the Defense Ministry’s press service told reporters.
Gonets-M is the second generation of the Gonets-system and is derived from Strela-3 satellites.
The three Gonets-M communication satellites and the military satellite were successfully placed into orbit, the Russian Ministry of Defence said.
This is the 25th space launch in Russia this year and also the last one for 2019.
