“Rokot” booster with 3 European Swarm satellites designed to study earth’s magnetic field was launched from Plesetsk spaceport, representative of Russian Defense Ministry press-office for Aerospace Defense Force colonel Dmitry Zenin reported.
It will be the 3rd “Rokot” launched by Aerospace Defense Force from Plesetsk spaceport in 2013. The launch of “Rokot” booster with Briz-KM upper stage and 3 European Swarm space devices was planned for November 2012, and then it was shifted to November 14, 2013 and finally scheduled for November 22 in accordance with European Space Agency’s request who is the ordering party.
At 16.02, Friday, Rokot booster with Briz-KM upper stage and 3 European Swarm space devices will be launched from Plesetsk spaceport, – Zenin said, having specified that that the satellites are to be orbited by 17.33 Moscow time.
Overall coordination of the launch will be performed by Aerospace Defense major-general Alexander Golovko. All pre-launch operations and activities went on nominally.
As Expected an hour and a half after the launch the satellites will separate from the upper stage and fly to space themselves.
“Rokot” light booster was designed on the basis of RS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile that will be took out of production soon. Both the booster and upper stage are produced by Khrunichev state Research and production Center.
