First Angara-A5 heavy rocket launches from Vostochny spaceport on third attempt

An Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket with an Orion booster launched from the Vostochny spaceport in Russia’s Far East on its third attempt, a TASS correspondent reported from the scene.

In about 12 minutes, the Orion booster with the test payload separated from the Angara upper stage and kept delivering it into the target orbit as part of the rocket’s flight development tests.

The Angara-A5 first test-launch from the Vostochny spaceport in Russia’s Far East was initially scheduled for the afternoon of April 9 but the liftoff was cancelled by an automatic safety system two minutes before the launch due to a failure in the oxidizer tank’s pressurizing system.