In a startling display of the continuing militarisation of space, Russia has launched its biggest rocket since the fall of the Soviet Union 30 years ago.
With a payload of 761 tonnes, the Angara A-5 was 210ft long and took off in the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia.
On Monday, President Vladimir Putin celebrated his launch while officials intensified their warnings about Ukraine. The latest-generation rocket can deliver military satellites into space – where experts predict future conflicts will be won and lost.
The 210 ft Angara A-5 weighed 761 tons and took off from Plesetsk, a northern Russian cosmodrome.
The launch came as Russian officials likened Nato to the Wehrmacht – the German army that invaded Russia in 1941 – and compared a possible conflict in Ukraine with the Cuban missile crisis in 1962
The launch came as Russian officials likened Nato to the Wehrmacht – the German army that invaded Russia in 1941 – and compared a possible conflict in Ukraine with the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.
Russia’s first space program launched the first satellite in 1957, and the first human to orbit in space in 1961. However, it’s been beset by corruption since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
This was the third flight of the rocket’s new rocket following its maiden voyage in 2014.
“Roscosmos felicites the military space forces and the whole Russian industry in space,” the agency stated, calling the launch a success.
Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Agency, welcomed the Telegram news, saying: “Come on baby!”
According to the defense ministry, “All prelaunch operations as well as the launch of Angara A5 rocket were conducted properly.”
The Angara Heavy-Class rocket’s last flight was December 2020.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia hopes that Russia will relaunch its space industry with the help of new launchers. This would reduce dependence on Soviet former Soviet republics.
Angara rockets were named after a Siberian stream that runs out of Lake Baikal and are the first launchers made after the Soviet Union collapse.
They were created to replace Proton Rockets dating back to 1960s. However, they have had a number of problems in recent years.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, hopes that Russia will re-establish its space industry and decrease dependence on the Soviet Union.
Officials believe that Angara’s heavy-class Angara rockets are more eco-friendly than their predecessors, as they use oxygen and kerosene to fuel them instead of the highly toxic heptyl.
Russian Space Programme sent the first human into space in 1961. They also launched the first satellites four years prior.
Since 1991’s fall of Soviet Union, corruption scandals have plagued the country. In recent years, satellites and expensive spacecraft were lost.