A Soyuz-2.1b rocket blasted off from Vostochny Spaceport carrying a pair of Ionosphere-M heliogeophysical satellites and 53 other Russian and foreign satellites, according to a TASS reporter.

About nine and a half minutes after liftoff, the rocket’s tip and the Fregat upper stage will separate from the third stage. The Ionosphere-M satellites, which are the main payload, are set to be put into a sun-synchronous orbit within an hour.