The first launch of the Soyuz-5 carrier rocket from the Baiterek Cosmodrome at Baikonur is scheduled for the end of March 2026. This was announced by Dmitry Bakanov, Deputy Director General of Roscosmos State Corporation for Rocket Projects.
The first flight (rocket) has been at the cosmodrome since November. We are preparing for the first launch.
He also noted that at Baikonur "there is basically no readiness for ground-based space infrastructure."
Roscosmos announced the postponement of the first launch of Soyuz-5, which was planned before the end of 2025, at the initiative of Kazakhstan.
The lead developer of the Soyuz-5 rocket is RCC Energia. This rocket is being created as part of the Phoenix experimental design work based on the RD-171MV engine.
Soyuz-5 will be a two-stage rocket and will be able to put up to 17 tons into a reference orbit. Launches will be carried out from Baikonur, using launch pads previously used for Zenit rockets.
The Baiterek space rocket complex is a joint project of Russia and Kazakhstan, from which it is planned to launch new generation rockets.
Earlier, www1.ru reported that the Soyuz-5 carrier rocket has entered the final assembly stage.