German intelligence satellite sent into orbit aboard Russian rocket

A Russian rocket sent a German reconnaissance satellite into orbit, a military spokesman said Tuesday - the latest good news for Russian efforts to garner a larger share of the lucrative international market

for space launches.

The German SAR-Lupe-2 satellite went into orbit late Monday night around 30 minutes after the Kosmos-3M rocket blasted off from the Plesetsk launch pad in northern Russia, Space Forces spokesman Alexei Zolotukhin said. A total of five satellites will ultimately comprise the SAR-Lupe system, which will be Germany's first satellite-based reconnaissance system, allowing high-resolution radar images night and day, according to German officials.(AP)