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June 4, 2016
Rockot launch (Archive image)
A Russian Rockot launch vehicle – with a Briz-KM Upper Stage – has launched the Geo-IK-2 (No.12L) spacecraft on Saturday. The launch took place from the Eurockot Pad LC133 at the Plesetsk space center in northern Russia, with T-0 marked at 14:00 UTC.
A Russian government Rockot launch vehicle and Breeze KM upper stage liftoff the GEO-IK 2 spacecraft. The satellite is designed to survey Earth to measure variations in the gravitational field and study other geodetic features of the planet. Delayed from May.
Rockot launches Geo-IK-2 satellite
The official Russian media confirmed that the payload section had separated from the second stage of the launch vehicle at 17:06 Moscow Time. The Briz-KM then fired its engine to insert the stack into an initial elliptical (egg-shaped) orbit over Arctic Canada.
The launch vehicle is carrying the Geo-IK-2 No. 12 geodetic satellite, also known by its military designation as Musson-2 and by its industrial designation as 14F31, the second Geo-IK-2 satellite should provide very accurate measurements of the Earth's shape and its gravitational field, facilitating cartography among other military and civilian applications.
Geo-IK-2 (No.12L) spacecraft
Rockot rocket or originaly the SS-19, which was originally developed as the Russian UR-100N ICBM series, was designed between 1964 and 1975. Over 360 SS-19 ICBMs were manufactured during the 70s and 80s.
Rockot is a fully operational, three stage, liquid propellant Russian launch vehicle which is being offered commercially by Eurockot Launch Services for launches into low earth orbit. The German-Russian joint venture company was formed specifically to offer this vehicle commercially.
For more information about Eurockot, visit: http://www.eurockot.com/
Images, Video, Text, Credits: EUROCKOT/Russia 24/Günter Space Page/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
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