The launch of the Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket with military spacecraft is planned for today, Defense Ministry spokesman Alexey Zolotukhin told TASS on Friday.

"A decision will be made at the government commission session that will take place today at the cosmodrome," Zolotukhin said. The carrier rocket will be launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region.

The three-stage middle-class liquid-propelled rocket was manufactured at the Samara-based Progress space rocket center. The start mass of the carrier is 311.7 tons. The rocket is capable of carrying around 7,480 kilograms of cargo into orbit. The rocket was modernized with the principally new digital control system with modern Russian element base.

The next launch of the Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrier is planned for April 28. The rocket carrier will be launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Quelle: TASS