Vostochny Cosmodrome sets record for rocket launches in one year

MOSCOW, July 2. /TASS/. Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Region set a record for the number of rocket launches per year, twice the figure for 2018, according to TASS estimates. Thus, in 2018, the maximum number of launches of Soyuz-2 carrier rockets per year was carried out at the cosmodrome - two. In May 2021, during the third start for the year, this record was broken for the first time, and on July 1, for the second time. In total, four launches were held in 2021 - on March 25, April 26, May 28, and July 1. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket was launched on Thursday from the Vostochny cosmodrome at 15:48 Moscow time. Together with the Fregat upper stage, it launched 36 British communications satellites OneWeb into orbit. As a result, the number of spacecraft of the constellation in orbit increased to 254. This became the tenth launch in the history of the Vostochny cosmodrome. Vostochny Cosmodrome is the first Russian civilian cosmodrome. Its first stage includes a launch complex for medium-sized missiles of the Soyuz-2 series, as well as a technical complex for carriers of this type. The second stage of the cosmodrome awaits construction of a launch pad for the Angara-A5 launch vehicles and related infrastructure. A foundation pit for the launch complex was started in June 2019. The first launch of the Angara is scheduled for December 15, 2023. Read more