Fregat upper stage with Meteor-M weather satellite, 42 mini-satellites reaches orbit

MOSCOW. June 27 (Interfax) - A Fregat upper stage coupled with the Meteor-M2-3 weather satellite and 42 mini-satellites has separated from the third stage of a Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle, which took off from Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome, Roscosmos said in a broadcast.

The Fregat upper stage separated from the third stage of the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle at 2:44 p.m.

Meteor-M is due to separate from the upper stage one hour into the flight. The gradual separation of 42 mini-satellites will begin 90 minutes later. The total duration of the Fregat flight will near three hours.