SPACE WIRE
Russia launches two military satellites
MOSCOW (AFP) Aug 19, 2003
 Russian Space Forces, the space agency of the Russian armed forces, on Tuesday launched two military satellites from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the northwest of the country, the agency's press service said.

The Kosmos-3M light launcher blasted off at 1050 GMT carrying two Kosmos satellites, the press service told AFP.

Russia has already launched four military satellites this year, two in April and two in June.

The defence ministry said in May that it intended to launch 10 satellites for defence purposes by the end of the year.

The satellites, which have a working life of between seven and 10 years, are to be lauched from Plesetsk and the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

SPACE.WIRE