Plesetsk Cosmodrome Set To Create Ground Systems For Blasting Off Novel Boosters

The State Testing Cosmodrome Plesetsk in Northern Russia has begun to build overland systems for the launch of novel carriers rockets Rus and Angara, the RIA Novosti correspondent quotes the Russian Space Forces as saying on Friday. The medium-class rocket Rus /Soyuz-2/ is a modification of Soyuz-U but, unlike it, Rus puts into orbit payloads weighing over seven tonnes. The Angara family stands in between the light and heavy rockets classes. It is distinguished by high performance and specific design. For instance, the first stage of the Angara light carrier-rocket is a controlled booster which, upon separation, spreads its wings and on its own returns to the cosmodrome for reuse. "This kind of design does not exist abroad", boasted the Russian Space Forces. On Friday precisely 45 years ago the Council of Ministers of the former USSR decided to build the Plesetsk cosmodrome. During its history Plesetsk launch pads have put into orbit approximately 38 percent of spacecraft of different countries. "Today the State Testing Cosmodrome Plesetsk plays an important role as the largest space center in the territory of Russia", said Colonel-General Anatoli Perminov, Commander-in-Chief of the Space Forces. In the early 90s he was in charge of the Plesetsk cosmodrome.