MOSCOW, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A Proton-K rocket carrying a Kosmos military satellite was launched from the cosmodrome of Baikonur on Friday, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
The heavy carrier took off at 03:59 Moscow time (23:59 GMT). Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov watched the launch.
The launch was successful, both the information service of the space troops and the Titov spacecraft test and control center said.
The launch weight of the Proton-K three-stage rocket is about 700 tons. The load weight to be put in orbit at an altitude of 36,000 kms is up to 2.6 tons. Its active flight lasts about 590 seconds. The satellite will be carried to its planned orbit with the booster engines.
Russian Space Troops Commander Vladimir Popovkin said earlier that three fourths of rocket launches for the Defense Ministry will be carried out in 2008 to orbit new space vehicles.
The Russian orbital system numbers about 100 satellites, including about 70 military and double purpose space vehicles.
