The "Soyuz-2.1a" rocket successfully launched the "Progress MS-34" cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station. The launch was once again powered by engines developed back in Soviet times, ODK reported.
The launch took place from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The RD-107A and RD-108A engines, manufactured by ODK-Kuznetsov, operated during the first two stages of the rocket.
These power units represent the evolution of solutions created during the era of the first "Soyuz" launches. Despite the age of the basic design, they are still used in regular missions and remain a key element of the rocket.
The engines have been repeatedly modernized, although the basic design has remained the same. The focus is on reliability, which has ensured stable launches for decades.
The "Progress MS-34" spacecraft will deliver more than 2.5 tons of cargo to orbit – equipment, fuel, water, oxygen, and provisions for the crew.