Proton-M / DM-2 Launch with 3 GLONASS-M satellites

September 2, 2010 - Baikonur Cosmodrome.
A Proton rocket blasted off overnight Wednesday with three spacecraft to help expand Russia's satellite navigation system to provide positioning services around the world.
The Proton rocket launched at 0053 GMT Thursday (8:53 p.m. EDT Wednesday) from pad 81 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, where the first pink hues of sunrise splashed the dawn sky.
With six main engines burning, the Proton soared into mostly clear skies and jettisoned its first stage two minutes after liftoff. The three-stage rocket deployed a Block DM upper stage and the three Glonass payloads in space less than 10 minutes into the mission.
The Block DM was expected to fire twice to place the Glonass satellites (Kosmos 2464, Kosmos 2465 and Kosmos 2466) in a circular orbit 12,000 miles above Earth with an inclination of 64.8 degrees.
Spacecraft separation occurred at 0426 GMT (12:26 a.m. EDT) in the targeted orbit, according to the Russian Space Agency.
The satellites are the second group of Glonass platforms launched this year. Three other spacecraft were orbited by a Proton rocket March 1.
Each satellite weighs about 3,000 pounds at launch, including maneuvering fuel to maintan the craft's orientation in space. The modernized Glonass M spacecraft are designed to operate for seven years in orbit, according to their manufacturer, Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev Co.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• proton-m
• dm-2
• launch
• glonass-m
• kosmos
• 2464
• 2465
• baikonur
• cosmodrome
• 2010
• uragan
• rocket
• satellite