Russia designing reusable rocket that will land like plane
MOSCOW. June 4 (Interfax) - Russian scientists are designing a reusablerocket that will be able to land like a plane, Ilyushin Aviation Complex Deputy General Director for Project Management Dmitry Gerasimov told Interfax.
"Our specialists have studied all similar projects and decided that [a rocket] landing like a plane would be the best option for Russia," Gerasimov said.
The preliminary design of the super-light reentry launch vehicle is ready, the press service of the Advanced Research Fund said on Monday. The vehicle will deliver up to 600 kilograms of payload to a sun-synchronous orbit.
The Center of Aerospace Technologies operating at the Myasishchev Experimental Mechanical Plant of the Unified Aircraft Corporation (UAC)'s transport aircraft division is designing the technology together with the Advanced Research Fund and Roscosmos.
"The preliminary design suggests various configurations, aerodynamics, mass, etc. If the project is approved, we will start working on the technical design and build a number of flying prototypes," Gerasimov said.
"The research should end with the creation of a fully functional prototype with a rocket engine for an entire cycle of testing, from launching and climbing to the required altitude to returning and automatic landing," he said.