Russia successfully test launched its heavy lift space rocket 'Angara A5' in a project after a gap of six years on December 14, 2020. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the launch as extremely significant for national security.
Russia's heavy-lift rocket was first test-launched in 2014. It is capable of carrying payloads bigger than 20 tonnes into orbit. It is being developed to replace Proton M, as Russia's heavy-lift rocket.
Russia is planning to open a launchpad for the new rocket in 2021.
Минобороны России показало видео запуска тяжелой ракеты "Ангара":https://t.co/5bMqDXB9xo
— ТАСС (@tass_agency) December 14, 2020
Видео: Минобороны России/ТАСС pic.twitter.com/plHqm4u9jX
Angara Rocket Test Launch: Key Highlights
•The Russian Ministry of Defence and Space Agency Roscosmos said after the launch that it was successful. The heavy-lift rocket was launched from a mock payload from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northwestern Russia.
•Roscosmos said in a statement that 12 minutes and 28 seconds after the launch, "the orbital block consisting of the Breeze-M upper stage and the spacecraft's cargo mockup separated from the third stage of the carrier",
•Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin tweeted a picture of the launch and wrote, "She flies, damn it."
•The Angara rocket faced a couple of manufacturing delays and technical issues before the test launch. Last year, scientists had discovered a defect in its engines, which scientists said could destroy it in flight.
Background
The Russian space agency has been afflicted with a series of setbacks and corruption scandals in recent years. Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes that the new launchers will revive Russia's space industry and reduce reliance on other former Soviet countries.
Angara Rocket |
| •The earlier launch of the heavy-class Angara rocket had taken place in late December 2014. A lighter class version of the rocket was test-launched in July 2014. •The Angara rockets have been named after a Siberian river flowing out of Lake Baikal. The rockets are the first new family of launchers to be built after the collapse of the Soviet Union. •They have been designed to replace the Proton rockets that go back to the 1960s, which have suffered a series of failures in recent years. •According to officials, the heavy-class Angara rocket is more environmentally friendly because it is fuelled by oxygen and kerosene rather than hugely toxic heptyl. |
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