Meteor-M satellite inserted into orbit - Roscosmos

MOSCOW. June 27 (Interfax) - The Meteor-M2-3 weather satellite, launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome by a Soyuz-2.1b rocket, has been inserted into orbit, Russia's Roscosmos said.

"The Meteor-M2-3 weather satellite, which was launched today from the Vostochny Cosmodrome by a Soyuz-2.1b rocket, has been delivered to its designated orbit and has separated from the Fregat upper stage," Roscosmos said.

The gradual separation of 42 mini-satellites will begin in 90 minutes. Placing them into their orbits would take 40 minutes, Roscosmos said.

A Soyuz-2.1b LV took off from Vostochny at 2:34 p.m. to transport a Fregat upper stage, coupled with the Meteor-M2-3 and 43 mini-satellites, to orbit.

According to Roscosmos, Meteor-M has a mass of about 3.2 tonnes and a service life of five years. The satellite will be inserted into an 832-kilometer orbit.

Meteor-M are weather satellites designed to monitor the thickness of the ozone layer and radiation levels in near-Earth space, as well as the surface of the seas, including ice conditions.

The payload includes 17 mini-satellites from Russian and foreign commercial clients, Roscosmos said. There are also 16 university cube-sats of the Space-Pi project and nine UniverSat research and education mini-satellites, it said.