Russia to test launch new spacecraft from Baikonur in 2015

Russia will test launch a new spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in 2015, the head of the manned space program at Russia's Federal Space Agency Roscosmos said on Thursday.

"Competition for building new manned spacecraft is growing so we must ensure we hold the first test launch in 2015," Alexei Krasnov said.

The new-generation six-seated spacecraft is currently being developed by Russian spacecraft manufacturer Rocket and Space Corporation Energia. The preliminary design has been presented to Roscosmos.

"The spacecraft will be multimodular and multivariate. One task will be to deliver the six crew members to the International Space Station," Krasnov said. "The shuttle will also be fitted with a living compartment and reinforced insulation for returning to the Earth's orbit and entering the atmosphere at the second cosmic speed, in case it needs to fly to a distant orbit." .

He said the first test flight of the new manned space shuttle is only possible from the Baikonur Cosmodrome since infrastructure at Russia's new Vostochniy Cosmodrome will not be ready until 2018.