MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying an Earth observation satellite capable of taking high-resolution images, Resurs-P 4, has lifted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome on Sunday, with the launch broadcast live by the Russian space agency Roscosmos.
The satellite separated from the rocket’s third stage 9 minutes and 23 seconds after the launch.
Later in the day, the broadcast showed that the rocket put the satellite into orbit.
Resurs-P 4 is designed for high-resolution, wide-field and multispectral optical-electronic observation of the Earth’s surface for natural resource exploration.
It can also be used to monitor pollution and environmental damage, search for mineral deposits and assess ice conditions, as well as monitor emergencies, and create and update topographic and navigational maps. Media reported earlier that the satellite would be capable of taking images of the Earth with a resolution of 70 centimeters (27 inches).
