Russia: Launch of 3 communication satellites postponed to 2020

The launch of three Gonets-M communication satellites atop Soyuz 2.1b carrier rocket from Plesetsk spaceport has been postponed to 2020, Sputnik reported quoting a source in the aerospace industry.

Earlier in September, another source had told Sputnik that three Gonets-M satellites would be launched on the Rokot carrier rocket in November. Three more satellites were scheduled to be launched atop Soyuz 2.1b rocket later this year. In 2020, another launch of Soyuz 2.1b with three Gonets-M was planned, and in 2021-2022, six satellites should be launched into orbit by two Angara 1.2 rockets.

"The first of the two launches of three Gonets-M satellites on Soyuz 2.1b rocket has been postponed to 2020," the source said.

Russian state corporation Roscosmos has not commented on this information so far.

The Gonets satellite communication system is aimed at providing communications and data transmission services. It can be also used for ecological, industrial and scientific monitoring purposes. According to the manufacturer, satellites of this series make telephone and fax communications services available to users within the satellites' coverage area, as well as facilitate user's geopositioning with the help of GPS or GLONASS technologies.