Russia places 6 satellites in Orbit

A Russian Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrying six telecom satellites has blasted off from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan, Russian space agency Roscosmos said. Operating from Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz vehicle, fitted with a Fregat restartable upper stage, inserted the six 650-kilogram satellites into their intended 920-kilometer orbit. The spacecraft, with reinforced radiation protection, are designed to operate for 15 years, about double the contractual life of the first generation. The Russian missile had carried three sets of satellites owned by Globalstar Inc. space orbit in 2010 and 2011.