Russian Defense Minister Travels to Plesetsk Cosmodrome Ahead of Crucial Test Launch

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th November, 2020) Russian Defense Minister General Sergey Shiogu arrived at the Plesetsk military cosmodrome where the Angara-A5 heavy-class launch vehicle is set for a crucial test launch later in the month.

"The minister will inspect the preparation and conduct of tests of the Angara rocket system by the combat crews of the Russian Defense Ministry," the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Tuesday.

Aerospace Forces Commander Sergey Surovkin is accompanying Shoigu throughout the working visit.

Late last week, Sputnik learned from industry sources that the rocket will be rolled out to its launch site Tuesday before an all-encompassing test launch scheduled for November 28.

According to what Sputnik has learned, the launch is set to test every stage of the state-of-the-art Russian rockets, including refueling and all phases of launch and payload deployment.

Earlier in the month, chief designer of the Angara-A5 launcher, Dmitry Petrov, told Sputnik that the test flight is set to deliver a mock-up satellite at the maximum payload of 2.4 tonnes into geostationary orbit over 22,000 miles above earth's surface.

Furthermore, state space agency Roscosmos said in October that it had earmarked over $260 million for research and development to boost the Angara heavy-class launch vehicle's carrying capacity to deliver payloads up to 8 tonnes in weight.