BAIKONUR. June 29 (Interfax) - The launch of Angola's first communication satellite has been delayed until mid-fall, a source in the Baikonur cosmodrome told Interfax on Thursday.
"The launch of the Angosat-1 satellite has been delayed until October 31. The satellite will be inserted into orbit by a Zenit-2SB rocket with a Fregat-SB booster unit from the Baikonur cosmodrome," the source said.
He explained the delay as due to the satellite's unpreparedness.
The launch of the Angolan satellite was originally scheduled for this summer but moved to September afterwards.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev said after his meeting with Angolan Vice-President Manuel Vicente in Luanda in May that the satellite was being tested.
"The satellite is ready, it is being tested," Trutnev said.
Angosat-1 is a geostationary communication satellite under construction at Energia Corporation, which will be operated by the Angosat company. This is Angola's first communication satellite.