Vladimir Putin's plans to project Russian power into space has been dealt a humiliating blow.

       Russia's second attempt to test-launch its huge new heavy-lift rocket from its Far Eastern space complex was aborted today (Wednesday, April 10).

       The launch of the Angara-A5 rocket from the Vostochny spaceport was cancelled about two minutes before its planned time of 9am BST.

       State news agency RIA-Novosti said the cause was the failure of the pressurization system of the oxidizer tank of the central block of the rocket.

       It follows reports that Russia and China want to put a nuclear power unit on the Moon - and after claims of a new “space race” as Russia and India compete to become the first nation to set a lunar lander down safely in the southern polar region.

       READ NEXT: Vladimir Putin breaks silence on nuclear weapons in space as Shoigu rages at US

       However, despite Puitins' aspirations, Russia's national space agency Roscosmos said another launch attempt will be postponed for at least one day.

       The first attempt on Tuesday also failed because the automatic safety system registered a flaw in the oxidizer tank pressurization system, said Roscosmos head Yuri Borisov.

       The launch was to be the fourth for the Angara-A5, a heavy-lift version of the new Angara family of rockets that has been developed to replace the Soviet-designed Proton rockets.

       Don't miss...

       Meghan branded 'jealous' and 'disruptive' in scathing rebuke [ROYAL ROW]

       Student dies of bird flu strain already in UK and US days after developing cough [BIRD FLU LATEST]

       China blasts US after Joe Biden's phone call as it tightens Russia relations [WORLD NEWS]

       The previous three launches were carried out from the Plesetsk launchpad in northwestern Russia.

       After the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia leased the Baikonur Cosmodrome from Kazakhstan and continued to use it for most of its space launches.

       The agreement with Kazakhstan allows Russia to keep leasing Baikonur for $115 million a year through 2050.

       While Roscosmos has continued to rely on Baikonur, Russian authorities have developed Vostochny as the facility of choice for Angara launches. The construction of the new spaceport has dragged on for longer than planned and it has seen only limited use so far.