On December 25, 2013 at 00:31 UTC the "Rokot” rocket-carrier was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Arkhangelsk region, North Russia. The rocket equipped with the "Briz-KM” booster orbited 3 military satellites. The satellites were given the names "Kosmos-2488”, "Kosmos-2489” and "Kosmos-2490”. Russia did not identify the payloads on the launch, but the rocket's target orbit indicated the mission carried a trio of "Rodnik” satellites designed to relay messages between military users posted in remote areas. The "Rockot” rocket-carrier is based on the SS-19 missile developed by the Soviet Union to launch nuclear weapons. Russia converted retired SS-19 missiles to rocket-carriers by adding a "Briz-KM” third stage to deliver payloads to orbit.
