ST.PETERSBURG, April 29 /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday it was right to postpone the first launch from the Vostochny spaceport.
"It’s good that we gave the people a chance to work more. They worked brilliantly the whole night and made the right decisions. As a result, the rocket was launched successfully," the head of state told the members of the Council of Lawmakers set up under the Russian parliament at a meeting on Friday.
He recalled that the launch initially planned for April 27 had to be put off due to an error, which was registered by the inspection equipment. The Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket blasted off successfully from Vostochny 24 hours later.
"The first launch had to be postponed for 24 hours not, as it turned out later, because of the rocket itself. It was in full order. It was the inspection equipment, which had sent a wrong signal that there was no fuel in the rocket but as it turned out later, the rocket had been filled up," the Russian head of state said.
"The question is elementary: how often it happens with us: in the cable, during the welding or in the rocket itself," Putin asked.
Vostochny’s commissioning is vital for Russia’s development
Putin has described the commissioning of the new spaceport as a vital step in Russia’s economic development indicating that external and internal problems were not a hindrance.
"It’s not the rocket launch itself that matters. It is much more important that we put a new spaceport in operation. This, of course, is an enormous step forward in developing not just the space rocket sector but the whole country," Putin said.
"An egg is dearest at Easter," Putin said remembering the nearing Orthodox Easter holiday to be marked on May 1.
"Despite any foreign restrictions and despite well-known economic hardships, financial and budget strains, Russia is confidently moving forward in implementing the mapped out plans," the Russian head of state stressed.
"A spaceport is not just a floor for launching rockets. It is a hi-tech sphere of activities. This [Vostochny] space launch facility is, indeed, one of the world’s best. We took account of everything, which has been done in this sphere. It is compact, small and very technology-intensive," Putin said.
"We will carry out all our plans. It was just the first stage. Launching heavy class spacecraft will be the second stage. Super heavy class spacecraft, meant for studying the Moon and the planets of the Solar System, and all manned launches will also take place from Vostochny," the Russian president stressed.
"It is simply inadmissible for Russia, which remains an unconditional leader in the space rocket industry, not to have its own spaceport with broad opportunities. We did not have such a spaceport before," Putin stressed.
According to him, the spaceport will give a good impetus to developing the Far Eastern region.