A Russian military satellite crashed into Siberia on Friday, just moments after the rocket carrying it was launched.

Russia's Interfax new agency said the rocket suffered a third state failure, seven minutes after take-off and two minutes before separation.

The Median communications satellite was on a Soyuz rocket, the same type used to send three international astronauts into space three days ago. That spacecraft, with a Russian, American and Dutchman on board, has now docked successfully with the International Space Station.

Despite this successful mission, the Russian space program continues to suffer major setbacks, including the August crash of an unmanned cargo craft taking supplies to the Space station.

That incident forced the temporary disruption in Russian space flights.

Russia is currently the only nation transporting crews and supplies to the space station since the United States ended its space shuttle program in July.