Angara Rockets May Be Used for Manned Space Missions

MOSCOW. May 11 (Interfax) – The Khrunichev Space Center is considering the possibility of using its new medium launch vehicle, the Angara, for manned space missions, the center’s chief Alexander Medvedev said on Wednesday while hosting Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov.

“Presently the company is working on the development of the Angara family of new, environmentally friendly launch vehicles,” he said.

Lightweight, intermediate and heavy-lift modifications will be made, Medvedev said. The medium Angara is expected to be adapted for launching manned spacecraft, he said.

The family of launch vehicles will be built around one core module. They will be powered by an environmentally friendly mixture of oxygen and kerosene.

The Khrunichev Center is also working on a flyback reusable booster, the Baikal, he said.

Angara is expected to be launched from the Plesetsk and Baikonur cosmodromes, which will be furnished with the necessary infrastructure, he said.