A video showcasing the successful take-off of a Russian Proton-M rocket carrying a military satellite was released by state space corporation Roscosmos on Friday morning.
The spectacular video shot by night shows flames towering off the side of the rocket as it slowly sheds its stands, taking off into the night in a tower of billowing smoke. The rocket was shot off at 3:20 am from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and five minutes later its upper stage separated as scheduled. The rocket was carrying a payload for the Russian Defense Ministry.
The ministry stated that the pre-launch preparations were a success and that the rocket is currently operating fully within normal parameters. The launch was not broadcast live, but the video was later published on Twitter. This was the second and final send-off of a Proton M rocket this year.
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