MOSCOW (AP) — Russian military and space officials say the country has successfully test-launched its heavy lift Angara A5 space rocket for the second time. The rocket lifted off Monday morning from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in Russia’s northwest. Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, tweeted after the launch that “It flies, damn it!” The space rocket’s first successful test launch took place in 2014 and was hailed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a major achievement for our space rocket industry and for Russia in general.” The Angara A5 is supposed to replace the Proton M heavy lift rocket, but its development and manufacturing has been plagued by delays and technical problems.
Russia test-launches Angara A5 heavy lift space rocket
