MOSCOW, May 17. The first flight rocket “Soyuz-5” will be sent to the Baikonur cosmodrome in the third quarter of 2025, the general director of the rocket company said in an interview. space center (RCC) “Progress” Dmitry Baranov.
“We plan to deliver the rocket to the cosmodrome in the third quarter of next year. The first launch of the launch vehicle is planned for the end of 2025. We hope that by this time all ground infrastructure will be ready,” Baranov said. 
He clarified that the production of rocket components for the first launch is now underway. The first stage engine, as well as part of the on-board equipment sets, have already been delivered to the enterprise. In addition, the production of tanks and compartments of Soyuz-5 is underway. Most of the elements for assembling and welding the tanks are already ready.
Baranov also said that during the production of Soyuz-5, a new friction stir welding technology is used to assemble and weld tanks. Specially created installations make it possible to obtain, among other things, specific types of welding seams: annular, circular and meridian.
“Soyuz-5” is a new middle-class rocket that is being created in Russia. It will be able to launch up to 17 tons of payload into a low circular orbit. Its launches will take place from a site at Baikonur, which was previously used for launches of Zenit rockets. Russia is creating a rocket, and Kazakhstan is modernizing the launch complex as part of the joint Baiterek project.
It is expected that three test launches should take place before 2027; in the future, it is planned to provide at least three launches per year in the period from 2028 to 2039. 
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