The final Rockot booster converted from an intercontinental ballistic missile launched into space Friday (Dec. 27) carrying a trio Russian satellites and a military payload into orbit.
The Rockot, a launch vehicle based on Russia's RS-18 ballistic missile, launched three Gonets-M communications satellites into space from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. The rocket also reportedly carried a military payload called Blits-M, a glass sphere designed to serve as a laser reflector, according to Russianspaceweb.com (opens in new tab), which tracks the Russian space industry.
Rocket's final flight lifted off at 2:11 a.m. Moscow Time on Friday (6:11 p.m. EST on Dec. 26). It was the second launch of a Rockot booster, also known as
Rokot," from Plesetsk this year, and the 31st flight of the vehicle in the last 19 years.
"The first launch of [light vehicle] 'Rokot' took place from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on May 16, 2000," Russia's Ministry of Defense said in a statement (opens in new tab). "In total, during this period, 31 launches of the 'Rokot' LV were carried out from the cosmodrome, which put about 70 spacecraft of various purposes into orbit."
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Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram.
