All four European communication satellites were put into orbit by a Russian-made Soyuz ST-B rocket from the Kourou space center in French Guiana, a spokesperson for the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, said Friday.
"Thus, the Russian part of the program – putting four foreign satellites [into orbit] – has been fully implemented," Roscosmos representative told RIA Novosti.
Four O3b Networks satellites on board the Soyuz have been designed and built by Thales Alenia Space to become a part of the medium Earth orbit satellite constellation providing broadband internet access in remote areas of the world.
The Soyuz-ST is a version of the three-stage Soyuz-2 rocket with a Fregat booster, adapted for launches in high heat and humidity climate prevalent in Kourou.
The Russian-built rockets have been sending satellites into space for several years as part of a 2003 agreement between Russia and France.
Source: Sputnik International
