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Soyuz-2.1b rocket with OneWeb communication satellites launched from Vostochny cosmodrome

It will take almost four hours for the spacecraft to be taken out by the upper stage

© Yuriy Smityuk/TASS

MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. The Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage and 36 UK OneWeb communication satellites was launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome, the event was broadcast on Roscosmos website.

The Frigate upper stage with satellites separated from the third stage of the rocket. It will take almost four hours for the spacecraft to be taken out by the upper stage. The satellites will be separated in several stages. This is the second launch of OneWeb spacecraft from Vostochny and the second fully commercial launch from this cosmodrome.

The renewed agreement between OneWeb and Arianespace, French launch operator company, includes launching 16 Russian Soyuz missiles from the Kourou, Vostochny, and Baikonur cosmodromes in 2020-2022.

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