Posted: Fri, Dec 21, 2001, 2:16 PM ET (1916 GMT)
A Tsiklon-2 booster successfully launched a Russian military satellite early Friday from Baikonur. The rocket lifted off at 11 pm EST Thursday (0400 GMT Friday) and placed into orbit a payload officially designated Kosmos 2383. According to the site Russian Space Web, the spacecraft is an electronic reconnaissance satellite, the first of its type launched in two years. The launch was the 104th for the Tsiklon-2 booster. Another Tsiklon booster, a Tsiklon-3, is reportedly scheduled for launch Saturday from Plesetsk to place six small communications satellites into low Earth orbit.

Related Links:

•  Russian Space Web
•  RIA Novosti article
•  Spaceflight Now article