Launches of Russian Rokot-2 Rocket May Begin Again in 2021

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The launches of the Russian Rokot-2 light carrier rockets may begin again in 2021 which would allow achieving annual incomes of over 8 billion rubles ($120 million) if the decision to resume the project is made this year, a source in the aerospace industry told Sputnik.

"The launches of Rokot-2 may begin in 2021 if the decision to resume the project is made in 2018. The positive money flow from the implementation of the project before 2025 is estimated at around 500 million rubles, while the annual income from the implementation of the project will increase from 2 billion rubles in the year when the first launches are held to 8.8 billion rubles by 2024-25," the source said.

The investment in the project was estimated at 4 billion rubles, the source pointed out.

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In August, Russia’s space agency Roscosmos announced that the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center was developing Rokot-2 carrier rocket with a Russian-made control system. The current model of Rokot carrier rocket is using a Ukrainian-made control system.