PLESETSK, Arkhangelsk Region. Nov 2 (Interfax-AVN) - A Topol 12M (SS-25) intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from Plesetsk space center in northern Russia at 12:52 p.m. Moscow time (0958 GMT) on Tuesday, Interfax-Military News Agency was told at Plesetsk.
"The purpose of the launch was to confirm the main flight and technical parameters of missiles with an extended service life," the source said.
The missile, which was manufactured in 1985, has been on duty with the Strategic Missile Forces since that time. Its service life has been almost doubled.
Since commissioning, Plesetsk has made some 500 ICBM launches and tested 11 missile systems for the Strategic Missile Forces and ten types of launch vehicles.
Since 1981, when Topol had its first test launch, Plesetsk has launched 78 of them.
Over 1,500 launch vehicles have taken off from Plesetsk carrying about 38% of the world's satellites.