The Soyuz-2.1 b launch vehicle with Gonets-M communications satellites and the service platform of the ERA-1 nanoscale spacecraft developed for the Russian defense Ministry launched on December 3 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. Video from the launch site was published by REN TV.
According to the Department of information and mass communications of the Russian defense Ministry, all pre-launch operations and the launch of the Soyuz-2 rocket were carried out in normal mode. The rocket was launched at 04: 14 Moscow time, two minutes later it was taken on escort by ground-based means of the Aerospace forces (VKS) .
It is specified that At the estimated time, the Fregat upper stage normally separated from the third stage of the Soyuz-2 launch vehicle and two hours later successfully put the spacecraft into the calculated orbit.
The Ministry of defense added that the specialists of the Main test space center. German Titov conducted operations to remove the Fregat upper stage from orbit.
This is the sixth launch of the Soyuz-2 medium-class launch vehicle from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in 2020. The previous launch was successfully carried out on October 25.
On November 23, it was reported that the launch of three Gonets-M satellites from the Plesetsk cosmodrome was postponed for additional testing of the Soyuz-2 launch vehicle.
Gonets is a Russian low-orbit mobile satellite communication system designed for global exchange of information with mobile and stationary objects, as well as for organizing retransmission channels for various purposes.