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Russian space firm to build 2nd Angara-5 heavy carrier rocket by April 2019

An Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket is expected to be built by April 2019

© Vladimir Astapkovich/TASS

MOSCOW, November 14. /TASS/. An Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket is expected to be built by April 2019 for a second test launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in north Russia and the Khrunichev Center (the rocket’s manufacturer) is currently testing its integral parts, the Khrunichev press office said on Wednesday.

"The Khrunichev Center plans to ensure the readiness of the second flight copy of the Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket by April 2019 for its dispatch from the enterprise to the cosmodrome," the press office said.

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Construction of launch pad for Angara rocket begins at Vostochny spaceport

Khrunichev Center Deputy CEO for Production Roman Khokhlov was quoted by the press office as saying that a decision on the rocket’s dispatch to the cosmodrome and the launch timeframe "will be made by Russia’s Defense Ministry following the results of the tests and the readiness of the Angara-A5 carrier rocket."

The first launch of the Angara rocket took place in 2014 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Roscosmos Head Dmitry Rogozin earlier said that the space agency was planning to start the flight tests of the Angara-A5V heavy carrier rocket with the increased lifting capacity and the hydrogen-powered stage at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East in 2026.

According to him, the operation of the second launch compound for light and heavy Angara rockets will begin at the Vostochny spaceport in 2023.

As was reported earlier, the Khrunichev Center may start developing the conceptual design of the Angara-A5V heavy carrier rocket with the increased lifting capacity already in 2019 immediately after signing a contract with Roscosmos.

The Angara rocket system is intended for launches of environmentally-friendly carrier rockets of various classes. The Angara family includes Angara-1.2 light rockets, Angara-A3 medium launchers and Angara-A5 heavy carriers (the Angara-A5M as their modification) and Angara-A5V rockets with the increased lifting capacity.

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