MOSCOW, July 11 (AVN) - The Plesetsk state testing cosmodrome in northern European Russia has started preparations for the launch of the Molnia-M booster rocket, a spokesman for the Space Troops armament operation department said on Wednesday.
The booster is to blast off on July 20 to put into orbit a Kosmos-series satellite in the interests of the Defence Ministry, the spokesman told the Military News Agency.
The cosmodrome's combat crews are assembling the booster in an assembly and testing shop. When the work is completed the booster's systems and components will undergo functional tests. At the same time the crews are preparing for assembly of the space head and controlling functioning of the spacecraft's technical systems and solar batteries. The spacecraft has passed pre-launch tests.
According to the spokesman, preparations are progressing as scheduled.