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Russia to launch Spektr-RG space observatory no sooner than July 12

A source said that the next window for the liftoff would be available on July 12 or 13, if the rocket’s launch did not take place on June 21 or on the backup date of June 22

BAIKONUR /Kazakhstan/, June 21. /TASS/. The launch of the Spektr-RG space laboratory has been rescheduled for a liftoff window that begins on July 12, Deputy CEO of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos for Space Systems Mikhail Khailov said on Friday.

"A decision has been made to launch the spacecraft on the documentation-stipulated second planned window that begins on July 12," Khailov said.

The press office of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos reported earlier on Friday that the launch of a Proton-M carrier rocket with a DM-03 booster for orbiting the Spektr-RG space observatory had been rescheduled for the backup date. As Roscosmos said, a setback was revealed during preparations for the launch. No other details were given.

The decision to postpone the launch of a Proton-M rocket carrying the space observatory Spektr-RG will have no effect on the program for further launches from the Baikonur space site in 2019, the Russian space corporation Roscosmos told TASS.

"The postponement will have no effect on the further program. All launches will be carried out on time," the corporation said.

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Launch of Spektr-RG space observatory delayed to backup date

A source in the domestic space industry earlier told TASS that the next window for the liftoff would be available on July 12 or 13, if the rocket’s launch did not take place on June 21 or on the backup date of June 22.

The Spektr-RG is the joint Russian-German project intended to create a detailed map of the sky in the X-ray band. The space observatory will be scanning the sky in a broad energy band with high sensitivity and angular resolution.

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