At the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat booster and the Arktika-M spacecraft were rolled out and installed at the launch complex of Site 31. They will wait there for "Hour X", the launch time.
The launch kit was assembled on the territory of the assembly and test building. The pre-launch preparation, refueling and docking with the booster for the second Arktika-M took a month.
Arktika-M is the world's first series of satellites in its category; no one had developed and launched them before Russia.
Scientists will be able to more fully detail ultra-short-term weather forecasts, promptly monitor dangerous natural phenomena and emergencies. The accuracy of identifying clouds over snow and ice cover and determining their characteristics will be higher.
Arktika-M's are also valuable because they are part of the international COSPAS-SARSAT search and rescue system. They will be able to transmit signals about the location of ships and aircraft in distress to rescue services even more efficiently and quickly.
The launch of the launch vehicle will take place on December 16 at 12:17 Moscow time.