The first test launch of the Sunkar launch vehicle (Soyuz-5 project) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome has been postponed again — it is now scheduled for a period up to 26 April. Previously, the launch was planned for the middle of the month, but the dates were pushed back due to additional technical checks.
WHY THE LAUNCH WAS POSTPONED
According to KazTAG, the postponement of the backup dates from the period of 13–16 April to a period up to 26 April is linked to the need for additional checks of the launch complex equipment and the launch vehicle's systems.
"After carrying out the necessary checks and addressing the issues, the Interstate Commission will make a decision on the launch date," a source at the cosmodrome said.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Baiterek space rocket complex is a joint project between Kazakhstan and Russia, aimed at creating ground infrastructure for launching rockets with environmentally safe fuel components.
The project was established in 2004, and officially launched in 2005 with the participation of presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin.
CONTEXT
The project's implementation timelines have been repeatedly revised: in 2021, the launch was planned for 2023; in 2023, it was postponed to 2025; and in 2025, it was announced for the start of 2026.
Initially, the launch was planned for 27 March, then the dates were moved to 29 March, and subsequently to 3 April. Later, the schedule was shifted to the period of 13–16 April.
In January 2026, the FBRK editorial team 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 underway since February 2025, testing began in the summer, and the comprehensive phase of testing started on 11 November 2025.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding the launch date, commercial interest grew around the project. At the end of March, an advertisement for a tour offering to become a "witness" to the Sunkar launch was found on Instagram. The launch in these adverts was listed for 27 March, but in reality, 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 tests. The project's cost at that time stood at 90.8 billion tenge, of which 81.3 billion tenge had already been spent.