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Contact Lost With Satellite Launched From Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome

Russia has lost contact with one of three satellites launched from the new Vostochny Cosmodrome last week, state-run news agency TASS reported Wednesday.

“We have been unable to establish a connection with the spacecraft since its launch. The connection most likely did not switch on after launching into orbit,” a space-industry source told TASS.

Experts will decide later today whether to continue attempts to establish a connection or to recognize the satellite as lost, TASS reported.

The SamSat-218 satellite was launched with a Soyuz-2.1a rocket on April 28. It was the first launch to take place at Russia's new Vostochny Cosmodrome, where technical problems postponed the launch for 24 hours.

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