In Russia, they began to serial production of the first four launch vehicles of the Heavy Class "Angara-A5" ordered by the Ministry of Defense. Previously, it became known that they should be put in 2022-2024.
The Khrunichev Center began the production of the first serial missiles "Angara-A5": the carrier ordered the Ministry of Defense. Financing contracts "is carried out in the framework of the implementation of the state contract dated May 21, 2020 for the manufacture of Angara-A5 carrier missiles (with factory numbers) 71757-71760 for the needs of the Ministry of Defense," it is reported on the public procurement website. According to the Director General of the Khrunichev Center, Alexei Varochko, Rockets will put the military in 2022-2024.
The previous year became a landmark for this rocket. Recall, on December 14, the carrier first launched after a long break: the very first start spent in 2014. The third launch of Angara-A5 can be performed in 2021, the fourth - in 2022. All of them will be elements of flight testing. In the 2023th rocket, they want to use a new generation spacecraft for flight ship, known as "Eagle" (previously - "Federation"). In the middle of the decade "Angara-A5" there should be a spacecraft with a crew on board with an enhanced load.
The Angara family includes several missiles. This is a light carrier "Angara-1.2", Middle Angara-A3, as well as heavy "hangar-A5", "Angara-A5M" and "Angara-A5V". The latter will have the greatest lifting capacity: it is assumed that it will be able to withdraw to the NEO (low support orbit) to 38 tons. In the usual "hangary-a5" this indicator is 24 tons.
Despite a number of critical comments (they, in particular, relate to the high cost of missiles), the "hangar" is considered as one of the key elements of the Russian Space Program. As Last year, the head of the Space Delegation of Dmitry Rogozin, Roskosmos, he wanted to start investigating far space using the collected manned modules, launched by a new rocket. The characteristics of the carrier make it possible to "combine the starts, collecting migratory manned complexes in orbit."
The application approximately coincided with the actual refusal of the super-heavy missile "Yenisei": at least, in the form in which he existed before. However, it is probably not the end of the project: a source in the space industry recently reported that Russian engineers identified a new look of promising carrier. The concept is based on the engine RD-182.
Source: Naked Science