Soyuz 2.1b | Resurs-P No.3

This is the third satellite in the Resurs-P series of Earth observation satellites launched by the Russian government to replace the Resurs-DK 1 satellite. The satellite is capable of capturing images with a resolution of 3m per pixel in colour mode and as low as 1m in its panchromatic mode. The images provided will be used for the Russian ministries of Agriculture and Fishing, Meteorology, Transportation, Defence, and Natural Resources.

Soyuz-2 is the 21st-century version of the Russian Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a three-stage carrier rocket for placing payloads into low Earth orbit. The 2.1b version adds an upgraded engine (RD-0124) with improved performance to the second stage.

The Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, commonly known as Roscosmos, is the governmental body responsible for the space science program of the Russian Federation and general aerospace research. Soyuz has many launch locations the Russian sites are Baikonur, Plesetsk and Vostochny however Ariane also purchases the vehicle and launches it from French Guiana.