Space

Russia set to launch satellites from submarine - Navy chief

RIA Novosti

05/03/2007 16:34 MOSCOW, March 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will launch foreign satellites into orbit from a submarine in 2007, the Navy commander said Monday.

The Republic of South Africa reported in February that the Sumbandila satellite will be launched in May from a Russian submarine in the Barents Sea.

"This year, Russia will conduct a series of satellite launches on behalf of foreign countries using ballistic missiles onboard a submarine," Vladimir Masorin said.

Sumbandila will be used to provide early warning of natural calamities and man-caused disasters.

In July 2005, Russia's Federal Space Agency reported that the Cosmos-1 satellite, launched from a nuclear submarine on a Volna booster rocket, fell into the sea June 21, 2005 as the result of engine failure.

But in May 2006, Russia successfully launched the Compass-2 micro-satellite, designed to monitor natural and man-caused disasters, from the Yekaterinburg submarine in the Barents Sea using a Shtil booster rocket.