The Soyuz-2.1v rocket launched a military satellite into orbit. Why does the Ministry of Defense use spacecraft?

The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) launched the Soyuz-2.1v launch vehicle from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, the Ministry of Defense reported.

Military satellite successfully launched into orbit

The Soyuz-2.1v rocket, launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, successfully launched a satellite into the target orbit in the interests of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the department said.

At the estimated time, the spacecraft was launched into the target orbit and accepted for control of ground-based assets of the space forces of the Aerospace Forces. Stable telemetry communication has been established and maintained with the spacecraft, its onboard systems are functioning normally

Russian Ministry of Defense

Officers of the Main Center for Space Situation Intelligence of the Russian Aerospace Forces entered data about the satellite into the main catalog of space objects of the Russian space control system.

What are military satellites used for?

In October, military expert, senior researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences Vladimir Prokhvatilov told Lenta.ru what military satellites are used for. According to him, they can survey various regions of the Earth and military installations. They are also capable of observing the actions of enemy satellites and even disabling them.

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There are so-called “inspector satellites”. Both we and the USA have them. They maneuver in orbit and can approach enemy satellites, interfering with their activities to the point of disabling them. They can also observe their actions

Vladimir Prokhvatilovsenior researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences

Satellites can also be used for civilian purposes, the expert said. For example, they monitor the weather and conduct satellite imagery of regions for geological exploration purposes.

Satellites in the interests of the Ministry of Defense are regularly launched into orbit

On October 27, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the launch of a Soyuz-2.1b rocket with satellites from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. The purpose of the payload being launched into space was not disclosed.

The next launch took place on November 25. After being launched into the target orbit, the military satellite was transferred to the control of ground-based space forces of the Aerospace Forces, and telemetric communication is maintained with the device.

Also, two launches with a difference of a week were made from the Plesetsk cosmodrome on December 21 and 27.

A total of 67 test launches of the launch vehicle were carried out, two of which were unsuccessful. “Soyuz-2.1b” is a development of the Samara Rocket and Space Center “Progress”, created on the basis of the first Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile R-7. The rocket is used to launch military and civil spacecraft.