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Vladimir Putin became familiar with infrastructure installations and new military space technology at the Defense Ministry’s first national space testing and launch center.

On the way to the Cosmodrome the President visited the city of Mirny, went into one of the houses where officers and the Cosmodrome’s non-military specialists live, was a guest at one of the servicemen’s houses, and talked with the city’s inhabitants.

Upon arrival at the space launch centre the President examined the new gas boiler room. Modernising the Cosmodrome’s energy system was part of the projects to establish the multipurpose missile launch systems Angara and Soyuz-2.

Afterwards, Vladimir Putin saw a demonstration of the new Soyuz-2 rocket booster, the Fregat starting block, and the Meridian communications satellite. The launch of this military space system is planned for 22 December 2006.

This is the President’s second visit to the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Vladimir Putin was first in Plesetsk in February 2004.

The President of Russia commented on the trip’s results in a press statement.