Article Posted on : - Mar 24, 2011

Angara booster rocket

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia is planning to test launch its new generation Angara booster rocket by 2013, a media report said.

"Work to build on-ground infrastructure of the space complex for launches of Angara carrier rockets is currently in active stage at Russia's northern space center Plesetsk," RIA Novosti quoted Alexei Zolotukhin, spokesman for the Russian Space Forces as saying.

The new-generation rocket will provide lifting capabilities between 2,000 and 40,500 kg into low earth orbit, and are therefore, intended to become the mainstay of the Russian unmanned launcher fleet in the future and replace several existing systems.

The rockets have a modular design similar to the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), based on a common Universal Rocket Module (URM).

According to the report, Russia will achieve independent access to space with the successful launch of its Angara rocket family.

The rockets will reduce Russia's dependence on the Baikonur space center it leases from Kazakhstan by allowing the launch of heavy payloads from more northerly sites such as Plesetsk and from a new space center in Russia's Far East.