Russian Defense Ministry: Fregat upper stage is not damaged in transportation
MOSCOW. Oct 15 (Interfax-AVN) - Claims of the alleged fall of a Fregat upper stage container from a flatcar in transportation on the premises of the Plesetsk spaceport are wrong, Russian Defense Ministry press service and information department spokesman for the Aerospace Defense Forces Col. Alexei Zolotukhin told Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.
"The Fregat upper stage did not sustain any damage in the transportation contingency," Zolotukhin reported.
He said the Fregat "was taken back to the assembly and testing facility and specialists ran full tests to verify its serviceability and to detect possible latent damage."
"The Fregat upper stage is in good order and ready for next technological operations, fueling and attachment to other component parts of a Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle and the spacecraft," the ministry spokesman said.
Preparations for the Soyuz-2.1b mission continue at the Plesetsk spaceport consistent with the approved technological schedule, he said.
