[SatNews] This new satellite joins the already 60+ spy satellites already in orbit...

Russia's Space Forces launched on Monday a Soyuz-U carrier rocket with a 2 class military satellite on board, spokesman Lt. Col. Alexey Zolotukhin said. The rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk space center in north Russia at 8:00 p.m. Moscow time (16.00 GMT). "The rocket put the Cosmos-series military satellite into the designated orbit at 08:08 p.m. Moscow time [16.08 GMT]," Zolotukhin said, adding that the satellite was assigned the serial number Cosmos 2472. The satellite is a new addition to a Russian network of about 60-70 military reconnaissance satellites, featuring updated imaging technology and an extended lifetime of up to seven years. The Soyuz-U rocket is designed to orbit Soyuz and Progress manned and cargo spacecraft, as well as special-purpose satellites such as Cosmos, Resurs-F, Foton and 3. The rocket has payload of up to 6,950 kilograms. This was the first launch of a Soyuz-U rocket this year.