BAIKONUR COSMODROME /Kazakhstan/, December 25. /TASS/. A Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket has delivered Resurs-P Earth remote sensing satellite No. 5 into orbit in the 2,000th launch for the domestic family of R-7 Soviet and Russian launch vehicles, a TASS correspondent reported from the Baikonur spaceport.

The carrier rocket blasted off at 10:45 a.m. Moscow time (7:45 a.m. GMT) from site No. 31 of the Baikonur spaceport. In about nine and a half minutes, the satellite separated from the rocket’s upper stage and entered its working orbit.

The liftoff marks the 2,000th launch for the family of R-7 Soviet and Russian carrier rockets since May 15, 1957. These rockets have conducted all manned and a considerable part of unmanned spacecraft launches in the history of domestic cosmonautics.

Resurs-P satellites are designed for the Earth’s remote sensing and for regional and local monitoring of its surface. These satellites feature an ultra-high spatial resolution of less than a meter per pixel. These satellites are also equipped with a rational polynomial camera (a tool for increasing the accuracy and speed of data processing) and have a stereoscopic imaging capacity for creating 3D models.

Since 2013, Russia has launched four Resurs-P satellites from the Baikonur spaceport. The most recent satellite launch took place in late March.

The data obtained from Resurs-P satellites are used to study natural resources and monitor pollution and environmental degradation, water protection areas and natural reserves.

Russia can use Resurs-P satellite data for developing international cooperation in environmental control and environmental protection and for addressing other essential tasks of the Earth’s remote sensing.