At the Baikonur Cosmodrome, preparations are nearing completion for placing the Electro-L No. 5 hydrometeorological satellite, developed by NPO Lavochkin, into geostationary orbit. The spacecraft will be launched on a Proton-M launch vehicle with a DM-03 booster block from Energia Corporation. The launch is scheduled for December 15.
This launch will be the last for the DM-type booster block from Baikonur. Since the first flight in 1967, the D family of booster blocks has been launched 299 times from this cosmodrome. The December launch will be the 300th anniversary launch. All future launches of Energia's blocks will only take place from the Vostochny and Plesetsk cosmodromes.
It is important to note that it was reported last week that launch complex No. 31 was damaged as a result of the launch of the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft to the ISS.
