In media

October 24, 2021

Soyuz launch marks first full-commercial mission of Russia’s GK Launch Services

SEOUL, South Korea — A Soyuz rocket launched 38 satellites from 18 countries on Monday, including South Korea’s CAS500-1 remote sensing satellite, in the first all-commercial rideshare mission GK Launch Services has arranged without a Russian government satellite onboard.

Source: Spacenews

October 24, 2021

Space debris demonstration mission blasts off

A UK-led mission to show how space debris can be removed has blasted into space. The world’s first such mission was initially due for launch on Saturday but, due to technical concerns, was postponed until Monday morning.

Source: Dailymail

October 24, 2021

Soyuz rocket with special paint scheme rolls out to Baikonur launch pad

Sporting a new blue and white paint scheme to mark the upcoming 60th anniversary of the first human spaceflight, a Russian Soyuz rocket loaded with 38 international satellites has rolled out to its launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan ahead of a planned liftoff Saturday.

January 30, 2019

SPACENEWS: The long road to Vostochny - Inside Russia’s newest launch facility

BLAGOVESHCHENSK, Russia — The construction of Russia’s newest space launch facility, the Vostochny Cosmodrome, was inevitable from the moment the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. After leading the charge into space, post-Soviet Russia found itself suddenly without a major spaceport on its territory.

January 22, 2019

AVIATIONWEEK: Russia Retools For Soyuz Commercial Launch

San Francisco-based Planet has traveled the world researching and booking launches for its Dove, SkySat and RapidEye Earth-imaging spacecraft, a 150-member network that is currently the world’s largest satellite constellation.

December 28, 2018

AVIATION WEEK: Russia Caps 2018 With Vostochny Commercial Debut

VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME, Russia—A Russian Soyuz-2 rocket lifted off from here in the Russian Far East on Dec. 27, marking the country’s 17th launch of the year and the commercial debut of the government’s new Soyuz-2 launch services division, GK Launch Services.

December 28, 2018

AFRICA TIMES: South Africas ZACube-2 satellite blasts into orbit

South Africans celebrated the success of Thursday’s launch of ZACube-2, a two-year project to put its second nanosatellite into orbit with the main purpose of using automatic identification of ships (AIS) technology to monitor its waters.

December 28, 2018

SPACEINTEL: Soyuz/Fregat rocket carries 2 Russian Earth observation satellites and 26 ride-share smallsats into separate orbits

CARBONDALE, Colorado – Russia’s Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat rocket gave fresh proof of its viability for the fast-growing cubesat market on Dec. 27 with the launch of 26 ride-share satellites into two separate orbits from Russia’s new, commercially oriented Vostochny Cosmodrome. All 28 satellites were reported healthy in orbit and sending signals.

Source: SpaceIntel

December 27, 2018

SPACENEWS: Russia inaugurates Vostochny Cosmodrome with semi-commercial Soyuz launch

VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME, Russia — With an exasperated hiss and engulfing roar, the sounds of a Soyuz rocket pierced the wild, windswept expanse of Russia’s far eastern taiga in a dramatic signal that Russia’s newest cosmodrome has finally opened for business.

December 27, 2018

AVIATION WEEK: Russian Soyuz-2 Poised For Launch At Vostochny

VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME—A Russian Soyuz-2 rocket, outfitted with a Fregat upper stage, was being prepared for launch from here in the Russian Far East on Dec. 27, marking the country’s 17th launch of the year, placing it behind China and the U.S. in annual number of orbital launches.