Russians Launch Earth Observation Satellite - 1-Meter Image Resolution

[hatrack]

Russia on Thursday launched a new remote-sensing satellite which is due to take high-resolution photographs of Earth, Russian mission control said. The Resource DK1 satellite was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan by the Soyuz-U launch vehicle at midday (0800 GMT) and went into orbit almost nine minutes later, mission control spokesman Valery Lydnin said.

"The tests of the onboard equipment have started and should take around two days before the satellite should be put into working orbit," Lydnin said.

Several problems with the communications system were noted in the first hours after the launch, he added.

The satellite, carrying Russian and Italian equipment, has an orbital service life of three years. It will take photos of the Earth with a resolution of up to one meter.

EDIT

http://www.spacemart.com/reports/Russia_Launches_New_Remote_Detection_Satellite.html

[Dead_Parrot]

1. That's the only problem Bush has...

...cancelling all NASA misions that might do some actual science: Somebody else may do it :)