Russian Space Center to Launch Boosters

Russia announced Wednesday it will build a new space center near Uglegorsk, with the launch of booster rockets expected by 2016 and manned flights by 2018.

The Uglegorsk site in the Amur region of eastern Russia was picked over Vanino in Khabarovsk Territory. The new launch facility will replace Russia’s main flight pad — Baikonur, ITAR-TASS reported.

Vice Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said the new Vostochny space center will be built on the former site of the Svobodny space center, the Russian news service said. Five satellites were launched from the 12-year-old space center, the last occurring in April 2006.

Ivanov said Roskosmos, the Russian space agency, will begin work on the project this year.

The year 2008 will become a milestone for the national space sector development prospects, Ivanov said.