Russia introduced 4 satellites to orbit on Saturday (Oct. 22), the country’s 5th liftoff in a two-week stretch.
A Soyuz rocket topped with 3 satellites for the Gonets-M interactions constellation and a presentation spacecraft called Skif-D taken off Saturday at 3: 57 p.m. EDT (1957 GMT; 10: 57 p.m. Moscow time) from Vostochny Cosmodrome, in far eastern Russia.
All 4 satellites were released into their designated orbits as prepared, according to Roscosmos, Russia’s federal area company.
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Each of the 3 Gonets-M satellites– Gonets-M33, Gonets-M34 and Gonets-M35– weighs about 617 pounds (280 kgs), according to Anatoly Zak of RussianSpaceWeb.com(opens in brand-new tab)
The trio simply signed up with the Gonets-M (” Messenger-M”) constellation, which circles around Earth at an elevation of about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers). These satellites “are developed to send information and supply mobile satellite interactions services to mobile and fixed customers throughout the world,” Roscosmos authorities composed in a Telegram post(opens in brand-new tab) quickly after Saturday’s launch. (The post remains in Russian; translation offered by Google.)
Skif-D went greater on Saturday; it’s developed to run in a near-polar orbit about 5,015 miles (8,070 km) above Earth, according to Zak.
The satellite is a presentation craft, as suggested by the “D” in its name. Skif-D is “a model of the very first Russian satellite for the broadband web gain access to in remote locations, such as Arctic areas of Russia,” Zak composed.
The Skif system is pictured to ultimately include 12 spacecraft, each of which will have the ability to beam down to Earth 100 gigabits of information per 2nd, he included.
Saturday’s launch continued a hectic October for Russia, which now has 5 launches under its belt in the last 2 weeks.
A Soyuz released a GLONASS navigation satellite from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, in Russia’s northwest, on Oct. 9; a Proton rocket lofted an interactions satellite for the Angolan federal government from the Russia-run Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 12; an Angara rocket introduced the mystical EMKA-3 military satellite from Plesetsk on Oct. 15; and a Soyuz introduced 2 other private military spacecraft from Plesetsk on Friday (Oct. 21).
Another liftoff is showing up quickly too: A Soyuz is set up to introduce from Baikonur on Tuesday (Oct. 25) at 8: 20 p.m. EDT (0020 GMT on Oct. 26), sending out a robotic Progress freight spacecraft towards the International Space Station. You can see that liftoff live here at Space.com, thanks to NASA TELEVISION.
Mike Wall is the author of “ Out There(opens in brand-new tab)” (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; shown by Karl Tate), a book about the look for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall(opens in brand-new tab) Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom(opens in brand-new tab) or on Facebook(opens in brand-new tab)