Russia sends military satellite into space

military satellite launched early Thursday has successfully entered orbit, the Defense Ministry said. The satellite, aboard a Proton-M heavy carrier rocket, was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 03:18 Moscow time (00:18 GMT). The satellite successfully separated from the rocket at around 12:19 Moscow time (09:19 GMT), said Space Forces spokesman Alexei Zolotukhin. "Contact is steady, and the onboard equipment operates well," he said. The launch was Russia's first this year. More

(Source: Xinhua - Jan 28)