spacetoday.net: Zenit launches Russian military satellite

Posted: Sat, Jun 30, 2007, 9:08 AM ET (1308 GMT)
A modernized version of the Zenit launch vehicle placed a Russian military satellite into orbit on Friday, the first launch of a Zenit-family booster since the Sea Launch failure five months ago. The Zenit-M (also designated Zenit-2M in some reports) lifted off from Baikonur at 6 am EDT (1000 GMT) Friday and placed the Kosmos 2428 satellite into low Earth orbit. Official Russian reports described the spacecraft as only a Russian military spacecraft; Western observers believe the spacecraft is a Tselina-2 signals intelligence satellite. The Zenit-M has been described as a modified version of the Zenit-3SL used by Sea Launch, but with only two stages. The launch is seen as a pathfinder for upcoming commercial launches of the Zenit-3SLB from Baikonur as part of the Land Launch program. Sea Launch plans to resume flights from its floating oceangoing platform in October.