Russia successfully test-launched a new heavy-lift rocket from its Far Eastern space complex on Thursday, following two aborted attempts earlier in the week. The Angara-A5 rocket was launched from the Vostochny spaceport after the first attempt on Tuesday was canceled due to a failure in the pressurization system of the oxidizer tank. The second attempt on Wednesday was also aborted by the automatic safety system, which detected a flaw in the engine start control mechanism, likely due to a programming error.
Thursday's launch marked the fourth for the Angara-A5, part of the new Angara family of rockets developed to replace the Soviet-designed Proton rockets. The previous three launches took place at the Plesetsk launchpad in northwestern Russia.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia leased the Baikonur Cosmodrome from Kazakhstan for its space launches. While continuing to use Baikonur, Russia has been developing Vostochny as the preferred facility for Angara launches. However, the construction of Vostochny has faced delays, and the spaceport has seen limited use.
The Angara-A5, intended to be the main launch vehicle for Russia's lunar research program, has also experienced delays and is years behind schedule. Similar to the Proton rocket it aims to replace, the Angara-A5 is designed for launching intelligence and communication satellites into geostationary orbits.
