Article Posted on : - Dec 19, 2008

File photo of the launch of cargo spacecraft Progress M-65 to the International Space Station from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. SP Korolev RSC Energia photo

MOSCOW (BNS): Russian space agency Roscosmos has announced that it will make 39 space launches in 2009 from Baikonur and Plesetsk space centres.

The agency press service said on Thursday the launches would be made as part of the Federal Space Programme, the Glonass federal programme, an international cooperation programme, and a number of commercial projects.

Four Soyuz manned spaceships and five Progress freighters will be launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, to the International Space Station (ISS).

A Proton rocket will put into orbit two Express communication satellites, two Glonass satellites, 17 communication satellites, two weather and ocean monitoring satellites, one emergency situations monitoring satellite, and six astrophysical satellites to study planets within the Solar System.

Roscosmos chief Anatoly Perminov had earlier said that the number of satellites in the Glonass network would be increased to 30 by 2011.

The crew in the International Space station (ISS) would also be increased from three to six next year, RIA Novosti said.