Fergie's Tech Blog

Russian Soyuz Rocket Launches New Spy Satellite

Stephen Clark writes on Spaceflight Now:

A clandestine military payload was placed into orbit [3 may 2006] by Russian military forces Wednesday in a launch from the nation's northern space base. The craft is likely a new spy satellite that will serve the Russian defense ministry.

The satellite was hauled into space by a Soyuz rocket from launch complex 16 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in far northern Russia at 1738 GMT (1:38 p.m. EDT). Defense officials said the spacecraft successfully separated from the rocket's third stage less than ten minutes after liftoff. The craft was released into an orbit with a high point of about 210 miles, a low point of 105 miles, and an inclination of around 67 degrees.

The payload is officially called Kosmos 2420 under the discreet Russian military nomenclature for satellites. Kosmos 2420 was the first military craft to be launched by Russia this year, and the first space launch of any kind from Plesetsk since December. It was also the 17th launch worldwide to successfully achieve orbit in 2006.

posted by Fergie @ 5/04/2006 08:41:00 AM