Carrier rocket “Rokot” with European satellite was launched from the Plesetsk – RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, February 16 – RIA Novosti Booster light class “Rokot” with European satellite “Sentinel-3A” was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region, told RIA Novosti on Tuesday in the press. service of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

This is the first launch of the start of “Rokot” from Plesetsk in 2016.

“Tuesday, February 16, at 20.58 MSK from a launcher platform №133 №3 State test cosmodrome Plesetsk combat crews of the space forces aerospace forces successfully, the launch of the carrier rocket light class “Rokot” spacecraft “Sentinel-3A” ( “Sentinel-3A”) “, – stated in the Ministry of Defense press service

General guidance rocket is launched Deputy commander of the Air force space – space troops commander, Lieutenant-General Alexander Golovko. According to the Defense Ministry all-launch operations and launch of the carrier rocket “Rokot” passed cleanly.

The satellite Sentinel-3A ESA for ocean observation and climate change. The lead vehicle manufacturer is the French unit of Franco-Italian group Thales Alenia Space. mass of the satellite reaches 1.25 tons. As expected, the Sentinel 3A will be located on a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 800 km.

In total, under this project, ESA has planned seven missions, during each of which certain research equipment will be put into orbit . In particular, the Sentinel-1 – radar, the Sentinel-2 – opto-electronics, the Sentinel-3 – equipment designed to monitor oceans, the Sentinel-4 – Tools for monitoring the atmosphere. It is planned that all seven missions will cover the whole range of scientific observations of the Earth.

Company Eurockot Launch Services GmbH ( “Eurockot”) was established in 1995 and is engaged in the marketing of Russian carrier rocket light class “Rokot” and provides its commercial operation in the world market launches of spacecraft into low orbits. Currently Eurockot is a joint venture between Airbus Safran Launchers and State Space Research and Production Center named after MV Khrunichev.

Launch vehicle light class “Rokot”, which makes the MV Khrunichev Khrunichev, created as part of the conversion program on the basis of a release from service mezhkontenentalnoy ballistic missile RS-18.

The rocket consists of the accelerator unit in the transport and launch container, which includes first and second stages, and space payload consisting of the upper stage “Breeze-KM”, fairing, transitional system, the intermediate compartment and payload bay.

The first launch of “Rokot” took place from the Plesetsk cosmodrome May 16, 2000. To date, 23 rocket launch was made from Plesetsk.