Russian rocket launches six satellites ( 2003-09-27 17:38) (Agencies)
A Russian rocket brought two
Russian and four foreign satellites — including Nigeria's first — into orbit
Saturday after technical problems delayed the launch by 24 hours, officials
said.
A Kosmos-3M rocket took off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia
at 10:11 a.m. (2:11 a.m. EDT), carrying satellites from Nigeria, Turkey, Britain
and South Korea, as well as two Russian military satellites, Russian Space
Forces spokesman Vyacheslav Davidenko said.
All six satellites entered their target orbit at 11:46 a.m., Davidenko said.
The launch had been scheduled for Friday, but officials said it was delayed
for unspecified technical reasons.
The ITAR-Tass news agency reported Friday that the problem was believed to be
either in the rocket's fuel system or in the launch equipment.
The two Russian satellites will be used by the military for science
experiments and to provide radar services.
Nigeria's satellite is the West African nation's first and is designed for
studying Earth from space. The satellites of Turkey, Britain and South Korea
also will study Earth.