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Russia sends military satellite into space

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-28 17:20
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MOSCOW: Russia launched a military satellite from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early Thursday, the Defense Ministry has announced.

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The satellite, aboard a Proton-M heavy carrier rocket, was successfully launched at 03:18 Moscow time (00:18 GMT), Space Forces spokesman Alexei Zolotukhin said.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the world's largest space launch facilities, where Sputnik 1, Earth's first satellite, was launched.

The latest military satellite was expected to separate from the rocket at 12:19 Moscow time (09:19 GMT), Zolotukhin said.

According to the RIA Novosti news agency, Russia runs a network of 60-70 military satellites capable of reconnaissance and missile early warnings.
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