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Briz-KM upper stage transferred from Sentinel-3A satellite orbit to disposal orbit

Sentinel-3A satellite is designed for a multi-instrument mission to measure sea-surface topography, sea-and land-surface temperature, ocean color and land color with high-end accuracy and reliability

MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Experts of the Titov Main Testing Space Center of Russia’s Aerospace Forces have taken the Briz-KM upper stage from the target orbit of the Sentinel-3A satellite of the European Space Agency (ESA) to the disposal orbit, the Russian Defense Ministry reported Tuesday.

The Rokot light-class carrier rocket was blasted off from Plesetsk at 20:58 Moscow Time. The blastoff should have taken place from Plesetsk October 31, 2015, but has been postponed many times.

The European satellite was put into calculated orbit at 22:30 Moscow Time.

"The Rokot rocket’s launch was carried out under the general supervision of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces - Commander of the Space Forces Lieutenant General Alexander Golovko who arrived at the spaceport for controlling the preparation of the Sentinel-3A spacecraft and its launch," the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service told TASS earlier Tuesday.

All the prelaunch operations and launch of the Rokot rocket passed in the normal mode. The Space Forces’ ground systems were controlling the launch procedure and the flight of the carrier rocket, the ministry said.

The Rokot three-stage light carrier rocket was developed on the basis of the RS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile. The carrier rocket’s third stage incorporates the Briz-M acceleration unit developed by the Khrunichev Space Center. The Rokot carrier rocket with the Briz-M acceleration unit can orbit payloads of up to 2.3 tons. The carrier rocket’s control system is produced by Khartron-Arkos enterprise in Ukraine.

Sentinel-3A satellite is designed for a multi-instrument mission to measure sea-surface topography, sea-and land-surface temperature, ocean color and land color with high-end accuracy and reliability.

The mission will support ocean forecasting systems, as well as environmental and climate monitoring. The satellite’s prime manufacturer is the French unit of the Franco-Italian group Thales Alenia Space, the satellite mass reaches 1.25 tons. The Sentinel 3A satellite is expected to be at a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 800 kilometers.

The first Rokot launch was carried out from the Plesetsk space center on May 16, 2000. A total of 23 launches of this rocket have been carried out since.

The latest Rokot launch was carried out in the fall of 2015 to place into orbit three military communications satellites.

Media reports said earlier that Russia’s Defense Ministry planned to give up the use of Rokot carrier rockets in favor of the Angara-1.2 and Soyuz-2.1v light carrier rockets.

The Angara-1.2 rocket has two stages with the Briz acceleration units. The serial produced spacecraft comprises two universal modules with the RD-191 liquid propellant rocket engine. The rocket is 42 meters long, has a liftoff weight of 171 tons and a carrying capacity of 1.5 tons.

The Soyuz-2.1v rocket is a two-stage light-class carrier. It is 4 meters long, has a liftoff weight of 160 tons and a carrying capacity of 2.8 tons.