Vostochny crew assembling Soyuz-2.1a LV for putting Kanopus-V satellites in orbit in late Dec
MOSCOW. Dec 3 (Interfax-AVN) - The mechanical assembly of a Soyuz-2.1a rocket, which will carry two Kanopus-V satellites into space on December 27, has been completed, the Roscosmos press service said in a statement.
"Specialists of Roscosmos' enterprises - TsENKI and Progress - have finalized the mechanical assembly of the Soyuz-2.1a rocket at the Vostochny Cosmodrome consistent with the schedule of preparations," Roscosmos said.
Engine pneumatic tests, electrical tests, and the final operation - the general assembly of the rocket - will follow, it said.
"The Fregat booster unit is being filled with fuel components and compressed gas at the fuel-and-neutralizer station in accordance with the plan. Specialists are preparing Kanopus-V5 and Kanopus-V6 satellites for the mission at the assembly-and-testing facility," Roscosmos said.
The Soyuz-2.1a rocket coupled with the Russian remote-sensing and emergency-monitoring satellites Kanopus-V5 and Kanopus-V6 will take off on December 27, 2018. This is the fourth launch scheduled to take place from the new Russian cosmodrome, Roscosmos said.