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Soyuz-ST rocket launch from spaceport in French Guiana delayed due to malfunction — ESA

The Russian rocket was to carry Sentinel-1B satellite

A Soyuz spacecraft at the Guiana Space Center, 2011 (archive) AP Photo/Henri Griffit/archive

A Soyuz spacecraft at the Guiana Space Center, 2011 (archive)

© AP Photo/Henri Griffit/archive

PARIS, April 25. /TASS/. The launch of a Russian carrier rocket, Soyuz-ST, from a space center in French Guiana has been delayed due to a technical malfunction, the European Space Agency (ESA) reported Sunday.

"Following an anomaly observed during the countdown for the launch of Soyuz flight VS14 carrying Sentinel-1B, the countdown was halted," the ESA said in a statement posted on its website.

"The launch vehicle and satellites have been switched into a completely safe standby mode. The new launch date will be communicated after the anomaly has been analyzed," the statement said.

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