First Russian rocket of 2009 launched successfully

Russia successfully launched its first cargo rocket of 2009, placing into orbit a Corona research satellite, according to a mission control spokesman. The launching of the Cyclone-3 rocket from the space center of Plesetsk in the northwest of Russia had been programmed for Thursday, but it was delayed by one day for technical reasons. The Corona satellite, projected to study solar processes, is third of three to study the Sun in orbit near earth under the Russian program Coronas. More

(Source: Pravda - Feb 1)