VLADIVOSTOK, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia successfully launched 20 satellites into space on Friday, including an Iranian telecommunications satellite, the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos announced.

A Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East at 8:54 Moscow time (0554 GMT), Roscosmos said on its website.

The primary payload of the mission was the Ionosfera-M satellites No. 3 and No. 4, designed to study physical processes in the Earth's ionosphere caused by both natural and human-induced factors. These include changes in the ionosphere's spatial and temporal structure, electromagnetic field disturbances, the composition of the upper atmosphere, and ozone distribution. The satellites will also help monitor the radiation environment.

The launch also carried 18 small satellites. Among them were nine developed by the Russian company Geoscan, which will conduct Earth imaging, track air and sea traffic, and study near-Earth space physics.

Some of the satellites are intended for educational purposes, including projects aimed at exploring satellite-to-Earth communication links and testing small satellite control technologies in low Earth orbit.

According to TASS news agency, the payload also included the Iranian-made Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite.