Posted: Mon, May 30, 2016, 3:26 PM ET (1926 GMT)
A Soyuz rocket successfully launches a Glonass navigation satellite May 29 despite an apparent problem with the rocket's upper stage. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia at 4:45 am EDT (0848 GMT) May 29 and placed the Glonass No. 53 satellite into orbit. The launch was declared a success, but Russian officials later reported that an "irregularity" took place with the Fregat upper stage, requiring it to burn longer than planned to place the satellite into the correct orbit. Officials did not provide more details about the issue with the upper stage.

Related Links:

•  TASS article on launch
•  Sputnik International article
•  TASS article about irregularity
•  Russian Space Web article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article