Russia launches 2 satellites into space

2012-11-03 14:19

A Proton-M rocket, carrying a Luch-5B and Yamal-300K spacecrafts, blasts off from the Russian-leased Kazakhstan's Baikonur cosmodrome. (AFP)

Moscow - Russia on Saturday successfully launched two satellites into orbit, the space agency Roskosmos said in Moscow.

A Proton-M booster rocket carrying satellites Luch-5B and a Yamal 300K took off from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan.

The Yamal 300K is to join other Yamal class satellites operated by Gazprom Space Systems, which belongs to energy giant Gazprom, according to news agency Ria Novosti, and will improve television and internet connections in Russia and other former Soviet republics.

The Luch B satellite is to relay data from low-orbiting spacecraft when they fly beyond the range of ground control stations.

Their launch had originally been planned for 2011 but was delayed for over a year because of technical problems.

- SAPA