TSIOLKOVSKY, Amur region. Oct 24 (Interfax) - The first satellite of the orbital group Sfera, Skif-D, and three Gonets-M communication satellites were taken into orbits after the launch of the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle from Vostochny Cosmodrome, Roscosmos said.
"All satellites have separated," the state corporation said.
The Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle was launched from Vostochny Cosmodrome at 10:57 p.m. on Saturday. It took into the orbit a Fregat booster carrying the first satellite of the orbital group Sfera, Skif-D, and three Gonets-M communication satellites.
Gonets-M satellites are used for organizing mobile satellite communication and data transmission from industrial and environmental monitoring sensors, for determining the location of moving objects.
In July 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the project Sfera, which envisages the creation of a global network of 600 satellites to provide the territory of Russia and other countries with Internet and telephone communication.
The Skif-D demonstration satellite is intended for practicing new technological solutions for high-speed Internet access.
The orbital group Sfera will comprise five satellite communication groups - Yamal, Express-RV, Express, Skif, and Marafon - and the same number of Earth remote sensing groups - Berkut-X, Berkut-O, Berkut-VD, Berkut-S, and Smotr.