Russia To Create Super Heavy Rockets

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved plans for creating super-heavy rockets, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday.

“Today, (Russia's space agency) Roscosmos' plans to begin the work on a super-heavy rocket were voiced at the presidential level for the first time,” Rogozin was  quoted as saying by Itar-Tass. “In principle, one can say today that Putin gave a go-ahead to the beginning of this work.”

This means, he explained, that after finalizing the entire family of the Angara rockets of light, medium and heavy class, Russian designers will focus on creating a rocket capable of carrying a fundamentally different payload, the report said.

“Not seven, fifteen or even twenty five tons, but 120-150 tons,” Rogozin said.

“We shall be obliged to come close to creating this class of rockets immediately after 2020,” he added. “This would confirm Russia’s dominating role in matters related to the creation of a heavy class rocket and a return all the very best that there was in Soviet society. While discussing Vostochny space site-related issues, the president in fact supported this idea related with the federal space program."