Russia launches Gonets-M satellites, first Sfera module

A Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle carrying three Gonets-M satellites and a Skif-D module, launched under the Sfera program, has lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. 

It is the first rocket launch from Vostochny in 2022. The Gonets-M satellites were launched from that spaceport for the first time. Skif-D is also the first module to be launched into space under the Sfera program, TASS reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told about the Sfera program during his annual question and answer session on June 7, 2018. The program envisages the launch of communications and Earth remote sensing satellites. Former Roscosmos CEO Dmitriy Rogozin said then that the Sfera program would include five satellite constellations providing telecom services, and another five designed for monitoring.