Russia successfully test-launched the Angara-A5 heavy booster rocket

After two consecutive days of last-minute cancellations due to technical problems, on April 11, Russia successfully test-launched the Angara-A5 booster rocket from the Vostochny spaceport, Amur province, the country's Far East region.

Angara-A5 booster rocket leaves the launch pad at Vostochny cosmodrome, Amur province, Russia, April 11, 2024. (Photo: AFP/TTXVN)

During the live broadcast of the launch, the Russian space agency (Roscosmos) said that a few minutes after leaving the launch pad, the rocket moved at a speed of more than 25,000 km/h and entered orbit.

Roscosmos said the Angara-A5 launched into space, with a test payload, worked normally. Roscosmos head Iury Borisov declared this an important event. The Angara-A5 rocket is much more environmentally friendly than the Proton M rocket - in operation since the mid-60s of the last century.

Russia first test-launched the Angara-A5 in 2014 and then in 2020, both from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, located in northern Russia.

It is planned that in the future there will be a more advanced version of the Angara-A5M, capable of carrying larger payloads into orbit.

The launch of the Angara rocket is an important premise. Russia is expected to use this same rocket to launch modules to build its own space station in 2027. Along with that, Angara-A5 will also bring manned ships to this space station.