Proton launches Russian military satellite
Posted: Sat, Jun 28, 2008, 10:16 AM ET (1416 GMT)
A Russian Proton rocket launched a military satellite early Friday, the first Proton launch since a failure in March. The Proton K rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 7:59 pm EDT Thursday (0059 GMT Thursday, 3:59 am Moscow time Friday) and placed the Kosmos 2440 satellite into a geosynchronous orbit. Few details about the spacecraft were released, other than its mass, about 2,600 kilograms; various reports have described it as either a communications or missile warning satellite. The launch was the first for the Proton since a March 15 commercial launch, when an upper stage failure stranded its payload in a useless transfer orbit. The Proton is expected to return to commercial service later this summer.
A Russian Proton rocket launched a military satellite early Friday, the first Proton launch since a failure in March. The Proton K rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 7:59 pm EDT Thursday (0059 GMT Thursday, 3:59 am Moscow time Friday) and placed the Kosmos 2440 satellite into a geosynchronous orbit. Few details about the spacecraft were released, other than its mass, about 2,600 kilograms; various reports have described it as either a communications or missile warning satellite. The launch was the first for the Proton since a March 15 commercial launch, when an upper stage failure stranded its payload in a useless transfer orbit. The Proton is expected to return to commercial service later this summer.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, February 21
British-backed Smile headed to Europe’s Spaceport
ESA — 10:00 am ET (1500 GMT) ESA to launch Celeste LEO-PNT on March 24
GPS World — 10:00 am ET (1500 GMT) Commercial Space Stations Could Host Simulated Human Mars Trip
Aviation Week — 9:54 am ET (1454 GMT) NASA's Artemis II mission set to send humans beyond the Moon in March. Here's what you need to know
Australian Broadcasting Corporation — 9:52 am ET (1452 GMT) NASA boss blasts Boeing and agency over bungled test flight that left astronauts stranded on space station
Australian Broadcasting Corporation — 9:52 am ET (1452 GMT) |
