BAIKONUR COSMODROME /Kazakhstan/, December 23. /TASS/. A Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the high-resolution Resurs-P Earth remote sensing satellite No. 5 has been moved to launch pad No. 31 (Vostok launch complex) of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a TASS correspondent reports.

The maintenance arms have been maneuvered into place and the specialists will now begin working according to the schedule of the first pre-launch day. The upcoming launch is scheduled for 7:45 am GMT on December 25. It will be the two-thousandth for the R-7 family of rockets - the corresponding mark is printed on the third stage of the rocket.

R-7 is a family of Soviet and Russian launch vehicles. These rockets were involved in all manned and a significant part of unmanned launches in the history of Russian cosmonautics. At the moment, the Soyuz-2.1a, Soyuz-2.1b, and Soyuz-2.1c modifications are in use.

Russian space corporation Progress CEO Dmitry Baranov expressed confidence in an October interview with TASS that the 2,000th launch of the R-7 would be completed before the end of the year.

A fourth Resurs-P was launched in March this year, also from Baikonur. In April, the head of Russia’s weather-watching agency, Igor Shumakov, unveiled a plan for putting in space 10 satellites - including another Resurs-P - by the end of the year.

Resurs satellites’ objectives

Resurs-P satellites are designed for remote sensing of the Earth, as well as regional and local monitoring of its surface. They are distinguished by ultra-high spatial resolution - less than a meter per pixel. The satellites are also equipped with an RPC-polynomial device (a tool to improve accuracy and speed up data processing) and have the capability of stereoscopic imaging to create three-dimensional models.

The data obtained by Resurs-P satellites are used to explore natural resources, control pollution and environmental degradation, and monitor water protection and protected areas. The information obtained can be used to develop Russia's international cooperation in the field of environmental control and protection and to solve other urgent remote sensing tasks.