The International Space Station crew used propulsion from a Russian Progress resupply capsule to carry out an orbital debris avoidance maneuver, NASA says.
Roscosmos says the Angara mission from the Plesetsk launch site in northern Russia successfully placed the Kosmos-2577 and Kosmos-2578 spacecraft into orbit.
The flight of a Russian Angara A5 heavy-lift rocket from Vostochny Cosmodrome was automatically aborted 2 min. before the planned 5:00 a.m. EDT April 9 liftoff.
Startups Isar Aerospace, PLD Space and Rocket Factory Augsburg already have agreed to use the refurbished ELM-Diamant launch complex in Kourou, French Guiana.
Three U.S. astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut began a 28-hr. ride to the ISS March 2, setting the stage for a six-month mission onboard the orbital outpost.
Russia's Progress MS-26 resupply mission launched on course for an early Feb. 17 docking with the ISS, loaded up with food, crew supplies and propellant.