VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME: Russia launched a Soyuz rocket early on Tuesday carrying two satellites designed to monitor the space weather around Earth and 53 small satellites, including two Iranian ones, Russia`s Roscosmos space agency said.

The Soyuz-2.1 launch spacecraft, which lifted off from Russia`s Vostochny Cosmodrome, carried two Ionosfera-M satellites, which will become part of the space system for monitoring the Earth`s ionosphere,the agency said.

The ionosphere, where Earth`s atmosphere meets space, stretches roughly 50 to 400 miles above Earth`s surface, according to information provided on Nasa`s website.

Each Ionosfera-M satellite weighs 430 kg and its working orbit is at an altitude of 820 km, according to Interfax news agency.

The system will include in total four ofthe Ionosfera-M satellites. The next two devices are planned to be launched in 2025, Roscosmos reported.

Among the 53 small satellites are two Iranian satellites, the Kowsar, a highresolution imaging satellite, and Hodhod, a small communications satellite, as well as the first Russian-Chinese student satellite Druzhba ATURK.

Roscosmos said it was a `record number of Russian satellites simultaneously put into orbit.` Tehran said it was the first time Russia had launched privately built Iranian satellites.

Russia in February launched into space an Iranian research satellite that will scan Iran`s topography from orbit, Iran`s state media reported at the time.

The two countries have deepened political, economic and military ties amid Russia`s offensive in Ukraine and the war in the Middle East, raising concerns in the West.-Agencies