The first test launch of the Sunkar launch vehicle (the Soyuz-5 project) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome has been postponed again — now to the period from 13 to 16 April. The launch had previously been postponed several times due to technical reasons and additional equipment checks.
WHY THE LAUNCH WAS POSTPONED
According to KazTAG, the change of date is linked to the need for additional checks on the launch complex equipment and the rocket's systems.
"After carrying out the necessary checks and addressing any issues, the State Commission will make a decision on the launch date," the statement said.
WHAT IS HAPPENING AT BAIKONUR
The Soyuz-5 launch vehicle, along with a mock payload, was transported on 31 March from the assembly and testing building at site 42 and installed vertically in the launch device at site 45.
This means that preparations for launch are in their final stages; however, the final decision depends on the results of the inspections.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The launch is taking place under the Baiterek project — a joint initiative between Kazakhstan and Russia, established in 2004 and officially launched in 2005 with the participation of Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin.
The project involves the construction of a launch complex at Baikonur for Soyuz-5 rockets, but its implementation deadlines have been postponed several times: in 2021, the launch was planned for 2023. In 2023, it was postponed to 2025. And in 2025, it was announced that the launch would take place in early 2026.
Furthermore, in January 2026, the editorial board of FBRK sent an official request to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development asking about the current status of the project. The ministry reported that equipment delivery had been ongoing since February 2025, tests began in the summer, and their comprehensive phase started on 11 November 2025.
Against the backdrop of uncertainty over the launch date, commercial interest in the project also grew. In late March, an advertisement was found on Instagram for a tour offering the chance to 'witness' the Sunkar launch. The launch was given as 27 March in these adverts, but in fact the launch did not take place on that date.
The exact date of the first launch, according to the ministry, was to be determined by the Kazakhstan-Russia Interstate Commission after the completion of the tests. The cost of the project at that time was 90.8 billion tenge, of which 81.3 billion tenge had already been spent.