The Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome.

The launch was planned for Saturday, March 20, but by the decision of the commission it was postponed for two days. According to the sources of RIA Novosti, the reason for such a step was a voltage surge in the power supply system of the launch complex and the need to retest the Soyuz systems.

The rocket will have to launch into space the South Korean CAS500-1 apparatus and 37 more satellites, including Russian ones:

  • Earth remote sensing spacecraft CAS500-1 (Republic of Korea),
  • Japanese apparatus for removing “space debris” ELSA-d,
  • Japanese GRUS remote sensing satellites,
  • Saudi Arabia’s small Earth imaging and communications apparatus NAJM-1,
  • communication satellites of the Technical University of Berlin,
  • satellite of the Higher School of Economics of the National Research University Higher School of Economics – DZZ,
  • cubsat of the Sirius Educational Center and the Higher School of Economics,
  • satellite “Orbikraft – Zorkiy” from the Russian private space company “Sputniks”.

The rocket is characterized by increased accuracy of launching and increased mass of payloads in low orbits due to the improvement of the control system and propulsion systems of the first and second stages.