MOSCOW, June 25 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket put the Resurs-P high-resolution imaging satellite into orbit on Tuesday, said a spokesman for Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos.
The launch took place in the evening at the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan.
"The Resurs-P spacecraft separated from the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket at the scheduled time and in the normal regime,” the source said.
The satellite is designed to make detailed images of the earth surface and will replace Resurs-DK, Russia’s only high-resolution imaging satellite currently in orbit.
The spacecraft, with a lifespan of five years, carries wide-angle, high-resolution imaging equipment. It will produce images for the needs of Russia’s ministries of agriculture, transport, emergencies, natural resources and defense.
A high-ranking Roscosmos official, Valery Zaichko, earlier told RIA Novosti that the satellite would also be equipped with hyperspectral imaging apparatus to be used for detecting insect-infested forest zones.
The launch was initially scheduled for November 2012, but was delayed for additional tests and improvements.
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