Russia loses contact with satellite launched from Vostochny

Russia on Tuesday lost contact with meteorological satellite launched from Vostochny, reports AFP news agency quoting space agency.

Earlier in the day, carrying a meteorological satellite and other equipment, the Soyuz rocket took off at 2.41 pm local time (0541 GMT), as scheduled. This isn't the first time, earlier first launch from Vostochny spaceport in far eastern Russia took place in April 2016, with President Vladimir Putin overseeing the take-off. That launch was a major milestone for the country's beleaguered space sector, with the new cosmodrome touted to mark a rebirth of an industry plagued by a string of embarrassments in recent years.