A Kosmos 3M rocket launched from northern Russia overnight to place a military navigation satellite in orbit more than 600 miles [965 km] above Earth.

"The two-stage launcher lifted off at 0105 GMT Tuesday from pad 132 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. The launch occurred at 5:05 a.m. Moscow time.

"The mission's secret payload arrived in orbit about one hour later at 0208 GMT, according to the Russian Novosti news agency.

"U.S. tracking data shows the satellite was released in a nearly circular orbit more than 600 miles [965 km] high with an inclination of about 83 degrees.

"The spacecraft was named Kosmos 2463 under the Russian military's naming system for defense satellites. Russian officials did not disclose any more details on the satellite's mission.

"But the payload is believed to be a Parus navigation and communications satellite for the Russian Defense Ministry. The orbit reached during Tuesday's launch closely matches the operational locations of Parus satellites."

By Stephen Clark
Spaceflight Now, "Russian military satellite successfully sent to orbit" at