The three-stage rocket has been launched three times before, but today’s launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern region of Amur Region marks an important first as Russia seeks to modernize its space program and keep pace with the rest of the world.
The massive rocket, which stands nearly 179 feet (54.5 meters) tall, rumbled from the Eastern launch pad at 5:00 this morning ET. according to Russian space agency. The mission went as planned, with the Angara A5 successfully delivering the test payload to low Earth orbit.
The heavy-lift rocket was first launched in December 2014 and has been launched four times. Its first three launches (two of which were successful) were from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia, and the most recent launch was from the Vostok Cosmodrome in the Amur Oblast in Russia’s Far East.
Today’s launch was Russia’s third attempt at launching this particular rocket. Tuesday’s first purge was due to a problem with the oxidizer tank in the rocket’s central power unit, while Wednesday’s purge was caused by a malfunction in the engine start control system, according to arrive moscow times. The rocket is made entirely of Russian components, can be lifted It carries 23 tons in low-Earth orbit and 5.4 tons in geosynchronous orbit.
The second stage, called Orion, separated from the first stage about 12 minutes into today’s mission, before the third stage reached its target orbit, where it released its payload.Roscosmos point out The Angara A5 functions as expected, noting that the launch will effectively launch “flight development tests of the Amur space rocket complex and the Angara heavy-lift launch vehicle in the East.” Roscosmos said the rocket is “environmentally friendly and does not use toxic fuel components, unlike Angara, which will completely replace Proton-M.”
The Angara A5 is Russia’s first post-Cold War and post-Soviet space rocket, playing a key role in replacing the long-serving Proton M rocket that had been in use since the 1960s. The Angara project began in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union and reflects Russia’s desire for space autonomy (Russia is currently leasing the Baikonur Cosmodrome, but its lease with Kazakhstan is due to expire in 2050), But it’s also about competing in space. The new space race. The rocket is expected to play a key role in delivering modules for Russia’s upcoming space station, the International Space Station (ISS), which is due to be decommissioned in 2030.
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