STORY: :: Russia launches a Soyuz rocket into space carrying dozens of satellites, including two from Iran
:: November 5, 2024
:: Vosctochny, Russia
:: Roscosmos
The Soyuz-2.1 launch spacecraft, which lifted off from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome, carried two Ionosfera-M satellites, which will become part of the space system for monitoring the Earth’s ionosphere, Roscosmos said.
Each Ionosfera-M satellite weighs 948 lb (430 kg) and its working orbit is at an altitude of 510 miles (820 km), according to Interfax news agency.
The system will include in total four of the Ionosfera-M satellites. The next two devices are planned to be launched in 2025, Roscosmos reported.
Among the 53 small satellites are two Iranian satellites, the Kowsar, a high-resolution imaging satellite, and Hodhod, a small communications satellite, as well as the first Russian-Chinese student satellite Druzhba ATURK.
Russia in February launched into space an Iranian research satellite that will scan Iran’s topography from orbit, Iran’s state media reported at the time.
