Maiden launch of Russia's Angara-A5 rocket from Vostochny set for April 6-10 - Roscosmos

MOSCOW. March 26 (Interfax) - The first launch of Russia's Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket equipped with an Orion upper stage and carrying a payload from Vostochny Cosmodrome is due to take place in April this year, Roscosmos said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The Angara-A5 launch vehicle equipped with an Orion upper stage and carrying a payload is due to lift off between April 6 and April 10, 2024," Roscosmos said.

"Using a transportation and installation unit, the rocket was transported from the assembly and testing facility and was installed on Launch Site 1A," it said.

The decision to transport the rocket and continue its comprehensive tests at the launch site was made after tests at the cosmodrome's technical area were successfully completed.

"A decision to launch it will be based on the launch site tests involving the Angara-A5 rocket," Roscosmos said.

On January 23, Roscosmos CEO Yury Borisov said the maiden launch of Angara-A5 from Vostochny Cosmodrome was planned for early April.

It will mark the start of design and flight testing for the Amur launch vehicle at Vostochny.

Angara is a family of Russian modular rockets with oxygen-kerosene engines based on universal rocket modules (URM), ranging from light to heavy versions. The rocket's lift capacity varies from 3.5 tonnes (for the Angara 1.2) to 38 tonnes (for the Angara A5V) delivered to low-Earth orbit.