Russia's space agency has announced that its new Soyuz-5 rocket is in the final stages of testing and nearly ready for operational use.
According to Dmitry Bakanov, head of Roscosmos, the two-stage launch vehicle is "absolutely ready" and undergoing final checks on its systems and components. The rocket is designed to carry payloads of up to 17 tonnes into orbit and is expected to replace older Zenit rockets.
The announcement came during a presentation to Vladimir Putin, timed ahead of the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic spaceflight.
Soyuz-5 is being developed in partnership with Kazakhstan under the Baiterek project, with launches planned from the historic Baikonur Cosmodrome. It marks the first new Russian launch vehicle program since 2014, reflecting efforts to modernize the country's space infrastructure.