First new-generation unmanned spacecraft to be launched from Vostochny spaceport in 2021
MOSCOW. Nov 17 (Interfax-AVN) - The space rocket corporation Energia has completed the first phase in a technical project to develop a new-generation manned space transport system, Energia President Vladimir Solntsev said in an interview with Interfax-AVN.
"In accordance with the federal space agency Roscosmos, the first unmanned test flight will be carried out from the Vostochny cosmodrome in 2021," he said.
"A state contract for the development of a new-generation piloted transport system with a focus on engineering documentation for the system's pilot products was signed at the end of 2013. Energia is busy working on the engineering documentation," he said.
"Under the contract signed, engineering documents for all elements of the new-generation piloted transport system, including individual instruments and components, are to be readied before the end of 2015, alongside mock-up models, pilot products and installations. Automatic land-based tests of the manufactured equipment are to be carried out and the main manufacturing technological process fine-tuned by this time, as well" he said.
Solntsev said that, "in accordance with the Roscosmos directive, a three-stage Angara-5 carrier rocket is to be used in the manned transport spacecraft's first unmanned flight."
"An upgraded carrier rocket of the Soyuz series cannot be used due to insufficient weight of the payload," he said.
