On February 25, 2021, Roscosmos enterprises’ crews began working according to the L-3 days schedule. In accordance with the State Commission decision, the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage and the Arktika-M spacecraft was transported to the launch complex of Site No. 31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

At 02:30 UTC, the space rocket was rolled out from the assembly and testing facility of Site No. 31. Via the intra-cosmodrome railways, it was delivered to the launch pad and installed at the launchpad. After docking the launch vehicle communications with the ground equipment, the specialists will conduct autonomous tests of the systems and assemblies of the spacecraft, the upper stage, the rocket itself and the launch complex. After that, the received telemetry information will be analysed and processed, followed by the report on the L-3 days results. The main work of the launch day will take place at the Cosmodrome on the night of February 27-28.

In the morning of February 28, a meeting of the commission will be held taking decisions to fill the rocket with propellants and setting the launch time. The launch of the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the Fregat upper stage and the Arktika-M spacecraft is scheduled for Sunday, February 28. The new spacecraft will provide round-the-clock all-weather monitoring of the Earth’s surface and the seas of the Arctic Ocean, as well as constant and reliable communications and other telecommunication services.