Russia starts developing new heavy carrier rocket for lunar missions
MOSCOW. Aug 2 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) has announced a tender for development of a sketch design of a heavy-class space rocket complex to be used at Vostochny Cosmodrome designed for launching manned spacecraft to the Moon, according to the documentation posted on the state procurement agency's website.
Work must be carried out between September 2012 and May 31, 2013. The sketch design involves the development of main technical characteristics of a carrier rocket and launch pad, and deadlines for their construction. The space rocket complex must include one two-stage and one three-stage rocket, training equipment and so on, according to the competition documentation.
In particular, the new heavy carrier rocket will deliver manned transport spacecraft into a translunar trajectory and earth orbital stations, launch various satellites, including to inter-planetary trajectories.
Creators of the new rocket must make maximum use of the results of engineering research obtained under the Rus-M rocket project, the documentation said.
