The launch of a Proton-M carrier rocket with Express-80 and Express-103 communications satellites from the Baikonur spaceport is scheduled for March 31, the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company said in the corporate newspaper Sibirsky Sputnik on Friday.

"The telecoms satellites Express-80 and Express-103 will go into orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome already quite soon. Their paired launch is scheduled for March 31," the newspaper said.

Head of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin also wrote on his Twitter page about the scheduled launch on March 31.

"The Protons are waiting for their launch. The nearest launch of this heavy rocket this year will take place on March 31," the Roscosmos chief twitted.

The satellites were manufactured during three years from the end of December 2016. Their active service life in orbit is 15 years.