A top-secret Russian military spacecraft was delivered to its perch in the high frontier after a successful launch today. The payload is believed to be an electronic surveillance satellite for the Russian government.

The classified satellite was launched atop a Ukrainian-built Tsyklon 2 rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Liftoff was at 0400 GMT (12:00 a.m. EDT), and the craft separated from the booster's second stage about five minutes into the flight, Russian news reports said. The payload's on-board propulsion system was supposed to fire just minutes later to nudge the satellite into its final circular orbit with an inclination of around 65 degrees.

The rocket's cargo was a US-PU reconnaissance satellite that will provide the Russian Navy with electronic intelligence data for military operations at sea. The most recent launch of a similar payload was in May 2004, but that spacecraft was destroyed as it fell from orbit after ceasing operations in late April, according to the Kommersant newspaper. The satellite orbited during today's launch will replace the spy satellite lost two months ago.

After achieving orbit, the craft was officially named Kosmos 2421 in the Russian nomenclature for military satellites. Kosmos 2421 was the second Russian military payload launched this year.

The launch was the first for the Tsyklon rocket family since December 2004, when a three-stage Tsyklon 3 launcher was flown. The most recent use of the two-stage Tsyklon 2 booster came in May 2004.

Today's mission marked the 26th space launch to reach orbit in 2006. It was also the 106th flight of the Tsyklon 2 vehicle in almost 40 years of service.