The “Sea Launch” project will get a new launch vehicle to replace the Zenit rocket of Ukrainian production.
RSC “Energia” will design a new launch vehicle for the maritime platform “Sea Launch”. It will replace the Ukrainian “Zenit”, previously applied for launches. Over the next four years, the innovation will be presented to the S7 Group Corporation, the owner of the floating spaceport. This information was announced by the CEO of RSC Energia Vladimir Solntsev in his interview to the RIA Novosti.
According to him, the schedule for designing a new launcher has already been drawn up.
“It is already known that the advanced development will use the first stage engine RD-171M. The same, as the Zenit’s one. The second stage will use the engine RD-0124 made by the Chemical Automatics Design Bureau (CADB)”, as Mr. Solntsev stated.
He also does not rule out that the “Sea Launch” will use Zenits until the new launcher design is completed.
On February 20, the company “C7 Space Transport Systems” (incorporated into the S7 Group) obtained a license for space activities in Russia.
“The license grants the company a right to participate in the international cooperation on exploring and using outer space for peaceful purposes. Obtaining a license, in particular, allows LLC “S7 STS” to deal with analytical integration of works to arrange launches of space vehicles from the Baikonur Cosmodrome”, as stated on the company’s web site.
In the autumn of last year, the Russian aviation holding S7 Group acquired the marine launch platform “Sea Launch” from the Sea Launch Group. The holding expects that over the next 15 years it would manage carrying out up to 70 launches “without serious investment required for upgrading the Sea Launch complex”.
