Kathmandu— Russia has launched a new military spacecraft into orbit using a Soyuz-2.1b rocket, the Defense Ministry announced Monday. The launch took place at 5:40 AM Moscow time from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region. While details regarding the spacecraft’s specific purpose and capabilities remain undisclosed, officials confirmed it is intended for use by the Russian Defense Ministry and is functioning normally after reaching its designated orbit.

Launch Details

The medium-class Soyuz-2.1b rocket carried the spacecraft into orbit following a successful launch conducted by a combat crew of the Russian Space Forces. Following deployment, stable communication was established with the spacecraft and all onboard systems are reported to be functioning as expected. The flight adhered to its planned trajectory, according to the ministry’s statement.

Plesetsk Cosmodrome's Strategic Importance

Plesetsk Cosmodrome serves as Russia’s northernmost major launch facility and is particularly well-suited for deploying spacecraft into polar orbits. These orbits are frequently utilized for Earth observation and military applications. Originally established as a Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile base, the cosmodrome was converted to support space launches in the 1960s.

Historical Significance of Plesetsk

The first satellite launch from Plesetsk occurred in March 1966 with the Kosmos-112 reconnaissance spacecraft. Since then, it has become a key site for launching Soviet and Russian military spacecraft, witnessing numerous launches utilizing various iterations of the R-7 rocket family – the precursor to the modern Soyuz launch vehicle. Earlier this year, Plesetsk hosted several other military launches in April, including missions using both Soyuz-2.1b and Angara-1.2 rockets.

The newly launched spacecraft is currently under the control of ground-based Space Forces systems, with ongoing monitoring ensuring continued functionality.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.