Posted: Fri, May 22, 2009, 5:27 AM ET (0927 GMT)
A Soyuz-2 rocket successfully launched a military communications satellite early Friday. The Soyuz-2 rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia at 5:53 pm EDT Thursday (2153 GMT Thursday, 1:53 am Moscow time Friday) and placed the Meridian 2 communications satellite into an inclined, elliptical Molniya-class orbit. The spacecraft is designed to provide military communications services, replacing older Molniya spacecraft; Russian reports also claim the spacecraft provides "communication, navigation and surveillance services" for civilians. The launch was the sixth for the upgraded Soyuz-2 class of launch vehicles.

Related Links:

•  RIA Novosti article
•  Itar-Tass article
•  AFP article
•  MosNews.com article