A new medium-class carrier rocket to be developed in Russia will be able to compete with the Falcon rocket manufactured by the US-based SpaceX company, Russia's RSC Energia space corporation said.
"RSC Energia proposes the development of a new medium-class launch vehicle for launches from Baikonur and Vostochny cosmodromes, as well as from the Sea Launch," the company's General Director Vladimir Solntsev said.
"The development of a preliminary design [of the rocket] is under way. The new launch vehicle will be well suited for launches from the Sea Launch, and, of course, it will be competitive with the US-made Falcon rocket," Solntsev added.
Falcon is a family of two-stage launch vehicles that use nine first-stage engines. The current Falcon 9 "Full Thrust" version can lift payloads of up to 22,800 kilograms (50,300 lb) to low Earth orbit, and up to 8,300 kilograms (18,300 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit, according to SpaceX.
RSC Energia, Boeing Hammer Out a Deal on Sea Launch Project
Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (RSC Energia) and Boeing have finally managed to reach a settlement over a sizeable $330 million debt incurred by the Russian company over the Sea Launch project. Russia's RSC Energia and US' Boeing have finally managed to hammer out a settlement following a lengthy litigation which began almost four years ago.
"The settlement came into effect on Februa … read more
