Posted: Thu, Oct 28, 2004, 1:43 PM ET (1743 GMT)
The first launch of the upgraded Soyuz 2 rocket has been delayed because of a software glitch, Russian media reported Thursday. The Soyuz 2 rocket was scheduled to lift off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia Friday, but Russian defense ministry officials said Thursday morning that a software problem with the vehicle had delayed the launch. No new launch date has been announced. The vehicle is carrying a dummy payload, called Oblik. The Soyuz 2 is an upgraded version of the storied Soyuz booster, featuring an increased payload capacity and a larger payload fairing. The vehicle will be used for military launches from Plesetsk and future commercial launches from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, where a Soyuz launch pad is being built.

Related Links:

•  Itar-Tass article
•  RIA Novosti article