On June 23, 2015 at 19:44 MSK (16:44 UTC) Space and Air Defense Forces successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1b launcher from the launch pad No. 4 of the launch complex No. 43 of the Plesetsk test site. The satellite delivered into orbit was designated Cosmos-2506. It is believed to be a new Persona optical reconnaissance satellite.

The satellite was registered by NORAD as an object 40699 and was given international designation 2015-029A. It is expected to perform a transfer to a sun-synchronous circular orbit with apogee of about 720 km in a few days. UPDATE: The satellite raised its orbit to 707x725 km on June 28, 2015.

Previous launch of a Persona satellite, Cosmos-2486, took place on June 7, 2013.