Posted: Sat, Nov 15, 2008, 8:13 AM ET (1313 GMT)
A Soyuz rocket launched a Russian military satellite late Friday. The Soyuz-U rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia at 10:50 am EST (1550 GMT) and placed the Kosmos 2445 spacecraft into orbit as planned, according to Russian media outlets. The spacecraft's mission was not identified by Russian officials other than being a defense spacecraft; Western analysts believe it is a reconnaissance satellite.

Related Links:

•  RIA Novosti article
•  Itar-Tass article