Soyuz launches from Kourou delayed again due to Covid-19

Launches of Russian Soyuz carrier rockets from the Kourou Space Center, put off amid the coronavirus pandemic, are being delayed again, a space industry source told Sputnik.

Last month, a spokesperson of Russian space agency Roscosmos told Sputnik that the next launch of a Russian Soyuz rocket from Kourou was expected to take place at the start of November.

"The launch has been delayed at least until the end of November," a space source told Sputnik on Sunday, explaining that some problems with the Fregat-M upper stage are behind the delay.

The launch of the Russian Soyuz rocket with the Arabic Falcon Eye-2 optical-electronic surveillance satellite from the Kourou Space Center was initially scheduled for March 6 but was postponed due to a malfunction on the Fregat-M upper stage. Later, the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana was temporarily closed amid the coronavirus pandemic and the launch was put off again.

Falcon Eye-2 is the second reconnaissance satellite built by Thales Alenia Space for the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.

Source: RIA Novosti

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