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Roscosmos replaces Angara rocket with Soyuz-2.1 for Gonets launch in 2021

Previously the launch of those space vehicles were planned on the Angara carrier rocket

MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. The launch of three Gonets satellites in 2021 will be conducted on the Soyuz-2.1 rocket, not the Angara carrier, a source in the press service of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos told TASS on Saturday.

"The launch of Gonets space vehicles planned for 2021 will be conducted on the Soyuz-2.1 carrier rocket. Previously the launch of those space vehicles were planned on the Angara carrier rocket," the source said. Soyuz-2.1 carrier rockets have been fully adjusted for Gonets satellites, the source added.

Serial production of Angara carrier rockets is being set up and will be launched in 2023 at the Polyot Production Association in Russia’s Omsk. "Currently resumption of air trials of that promising rocket is being prepared," the source said. Earlier reports said that the launch of Angara carrier rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome was scheduled for December 2019.

"The management of Roscosmos considers the launch of production of universal rocket modules of Angara at the Omsk-based production site the prior task for the corporation," the press service stressed.

Heavy Angara rockets will fully replace Proton carrier rockets in 2024. "In 2024, heavy Angara (rockets) should fully replace Proton (rockets). In this respect, Roscosmos Chief (Dmitry Rogozin) plans to inspect the Vostochny Cosmodrome on November 5 where the construction of the launch site for Angara rockets is underway, while on November 6-7 he will visit Omsk to inspect preparations for production of Angara rockets," the source said.

The Gonets is Russia’s sole low-orbit system of mobile satellite communications designed for the global exchange of various type of information with mobile and stationary facilities, and for organizing re-broadcasting channels for various purposes. The system allows transmitting Glonass coordinate data from a mobile post to remote monitoring and communications centers, irrespective of a subscriber’s location.

The Angara is a family of next-generation Russian space rockets. It consists of light, medium and heavy carry rockets with a lifting capacity of up to 37.5 tonnes. The first launch of the Angara rocket took place in 2014.

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