OREANDA-NEWS. April 2, 2009. 16 launches were carried out in the world within the first three months of 2009. 5 of them were from Baikonur, two- from Plesetsk. 6 launches were made by the USA (1- failed), 1- Japan, 1- ESA. Iran entered the "LV-club" after orbiting its first communication satellite.

6 rockets will lift-off from Baikonur in the second quarter of 2009. Proton-M will loft W2A satellite on April 3. Under the ISS program, Progress M-02M will fly on May 7, and Soyuz TMA-15 - on May 27. One more Proton-M will orbit Protostar-2 telecommunication satellite in mid May.

In June, Proton-M/Sirius-Radio-FM5 and Zenith-3SLB/Measat-1R are planned to fly from Baikonur.

At the second half of 2009, two Protons will loft three Glonass-M satellites each, and Soyuz-2 is intended to orbit Meteor-M satellite.

The nubmer of Baikonur`s launches this year shall exceed the numbers in previous years, according to the launch plan.