On Monday, a Russian Soyuz-2.1a rocket left off from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, carrying a European weather satellite.

      “The launch of the rocket with Fregat booster and MetOp-B satellite was successfully carried out at 08.29 p.m. Moscow time," Roscosmos agency says.

      The satellite separated from the Fregat booster and reached a designated orbit at 09.37 p.m. Moscow time, according to intended schedule.

      MetOp-B is the second spacecraft made by EADS Astrium company for the European Space Agency. Altogether, there are three satellites is a set.

      MetOp-B is expected to work on the orbit not less than 5 years. Its predecessor, MetOp-A, was orbited in October 2006. The last satellite in the series, MetOp-C, is expected to be launched in 2017.

      All satellites are equipped with a set of instruments provided by the United States and a new generation of European instruments that offer improved remote sensing capabilities to both meteorologists and climatologists.

      The Soyuz-2.1a rocket is made in the Samara's State Scientific Centre "CSKB-Progress". With a help of the Fregat booster it carries spacecrafts and satellites into different types of orbits.