Russia puts three military communication satellites into orbit

Russia’s Defense Ministry says the country has successfully placed three military communication satellites into orbit.

A Rokot light-class space rocket carrying the three satellites blasted off from the Plesetsk Space Center, which is located in Arkhangelsk Region in northwestern Russia, at 1:00 a.m. local time on Thursday (22 GMT Wednesday).

“At the assigned time, the rocket successfully placed the three satellites [built] for the Defense Ministry of Russia into their planned orbits,” a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry said.

A modification of the RS-18 (SS-19 Stiletto) two-stage ballistic missile, Rokot is a three-stage Russian launch vehicle fueled by a liquid propellant.

According to Russian media reports, the country has successfully launched Rokot carrier rockets from the Plesetsk facility 23 times since its first launch in May 2000.

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