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Russian Rocket Puts British Satellite Into Orbit


Russian space agency Roskosmos also announced that it would no longer use Zenit rockets (pictured in file photo), which are produced in Ukraine.
Russian space agency Roskosmos also announced that it would no longer use Zenit rockets (pictured in file photo), which are produced in Ukraine.

A British satellite has been successfully placed into orbit by a Russian rocket.

A Russian Proton-M rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on February 1 carried the British Inmarsat-5F2 communications satellite into space.

The satellite separated from the rocket's third stage on February 2 and the Inmarsat-5F2 assumed a regular orbit around the planet.

Separately, Russian space agency Roskosmos announced early on February 2 that it would no longer use Zenit rockets, which are produced in Ukraine.

Roskosmos said it was switching to the new Angara rockets Russia has been developing for years.

There are at least two more launches scheduled using Zenit rockets before they are phased out entirely from use by Russia.

Based on reporting by TASS, Interfax, and AFP

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