Now in its operational orbit, the satellite will continue commissioning and calibration for several weeks before joining the Resurs-P No.1 and 2 satellites as part of the operational satellite constellation.
The 5,700-Kilogram Resurs-P No.3 satellite soared into orbit on 13 March atop a Soyuz 2-1B rocket making a nighttime liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Soyuz dropped the satellite off in the expected elliptical transfer orbit after a flawless ascent mission and Resurs-P No.3 completed its first steps in orbit while still flying over Russian ground stations.