MOSCOW, Feb 12: Russia’s Proton-M rocket with a DM-03 upper stage and the Elektro-L No.5 weather satellite lifted off on Thursday during the first launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 2026 and put it on low-Earth orbit.
Russia’s state space corporation Roscosmos livestreamed the launch.
The rocket was launched on schedule at 11:52 Moscow time (08:52 GMT). After 9 minutes and 45 seconds, the upper stage with the satellite separated from the launch vehicle; 15 minutes and 44 seconds later, the upper stage engine ignited.
The DM-03 will fire its propulsion twice more to place Electro-L into a 35,786-kilometer (22,236-miles) geostationary orbit. Separation from the upper stage is slated for 6 hours, 37 minutes, and 50 seconds after launch.
This marks the 430th Proton family launch and the first in nearly three years (since March 13, 2023). It is also the final Proton mission using a DM upper stage; future flights will employ Briz blocks.
The Electro-L geostationary satellites provide round-the-clock weather monitoring and relay signals from COSPAS-SARSAT international emergency beacons. Each hovers over a fixed Earth point at around 36,000 kilometers altitude. Currently, three are operational: Electro-L No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4.
(UNI)
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