Rockot Successfully Launches 8 Satellites into Different Orbits
Bremen / Plesetsk, 30 June 2003: Eurockot Launch Services GmbH of Bremen, Germany, today performed a technically challenging mission with the Multiple Orbit Mission (MOM) from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northern Russia. The Rockot launch vehicle launched a total of eight scientific micro-and nano-satellites for different agencies and institutes by deploying one spacecraft into an elliptical and the remaining ones into a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). Additionally, a mock-up of the Russian MONITOR satellite was launched but was intentionally not separated from the Breeze upper stage.
With this mission Eurockot addressed the unique capability of its upper stage: Multiple re-ignitions allowed it to be precisely positioned into different orbits and to release several spacecraft successively. MOM was also Rockot`s first sun-synchronous mission.
For further information please contact:
Peter Freeborn Phone + 49 421 539 6512 email peter.freeborn@astrium-space.com
