Сarrier rocket with Russian Defense ministry’s satellite blasts off Plesetsk space pad 

A Soyuz-2.1v carrier rocket with a Russian defense ministry’s satellite has been launched from the Plesetsk space center, the ministry’s press service said on Friday.

"A combat unit of the Russian Aerospace Forces made a successful launch of a Soyuz-2.1v small-lift carrier rocket with a Russian defense ministry’s satellite from platform No43 of the Plesetsk space center’s launching pad No4 at 21:04 Moscow time on Friday, June 23," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, pre-launch operations and the launch "were conducted in a routine mode."

This was the third launch of the Soyuz-2.1v rocket, which is currently undergoing flight development tests at the Plesetsk space center. The first Soyuz-2.1v launch was successfully conducted in December 2013, and the second - in December 2015.

The previous launch of a Soyuz-2 carrier rocket was performed from the Plesetsk space center in northern Russia on May 25, when a Soyuz-2.1b rocket was blasted off in the interests of the defense ministry.

The family of Russia’s Soyuz-2 carrier rockets currently comprises Soyuz-2.1a and Soyuz-2.1b medium-class launchers and also the Soyuz-2.1v light rocket. They can be launched from the Baikonur, Plesetsk, and Vostochny cosmodromes and the Kourou spaceport (South America).

Quelle: TASS