24 Mar 2022 09:17

Russia to become fully self-sufficient in terms of space launches in late 2023 - Rogozin

MOSCOW. March 24 (Interfax) - Once the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome, in Russia's Amur region, is completed, Russia will become totally self-sufficient in terms of space launches, Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin said.

"From the end of 2023, we will be able to launch rockets of all types from Vostochny, thus ensuring our country's complete self-sufficiency in terms of access to outer space," Rogozin said on Telegram.

"The facility now under construction will be more than twice as powerful as the Soyuz-2 launch pad, which was built in late 2015 and handled five successfully launches last year along," he said.

Rogozin said earlier that the main part of construction efforts at the Vostochny Cosmodrome should be completed in December 2022, while the first launch of the Angara heavy-lift rocket from the new launch pad is expected to take place in December 2023.

"As regards the second stage [of the Vostochny Cosmodrome], we do not have the same problems that we encountered during the first stage. We are keeping up with the deadline. We will complete the main construction efforts in December of this year. Technologists will arrive there in 2023. They will start autonomous comprehensive tests of all technological systems, while builders will continue equipping the grounds with services and utilities. We plan to conduct the first Angara launch in December 2023 and to start testing a new manned spacecraft at the second launch pad," Rogozin said.

Vostochny is Russia's youngest cosmodrome. The first space launch took place from it in 2016. Second-stage facilities, intended to help launch Angara-family rockets, are now being built at the cosmodrome.