Russia has launched a rocket for the first time from the newly built Vostochny Cosmodrome, one day after a technical glitch thwarted an earlier launch and flustered President Vladimir Putin.
An unmanned Soyuz rocket carrying three satellites roared off from the launch pad at the spaceport in the early hours of April 28 in the far eastern Amur region near China's border.
A spokesman for Russia's Roscosmos space agency said the satellites were successfully deployed in orbit and that contact had been established with them.
Putin was present for the launch, having traveled thousands of kilometers from Moscow to see the earlier attempt and staying for the second try.
The first attempt was called off less than three minutes before liftoff on April 27, upsetting Putin, whose presence had raised the profile of what the Kremlin touted as a historic event.
The new facility is intended to reduce Russia's reliance on Kazakhstan's Baikonur cosmodrome.
