KRASNOZNAMENSK (Moscow region), April 3, 2004. (RIA Novosti) - Russia plans to carry out all space launches from its territory only, said Vladimir Popovkin, the Commander of the Space Troops.
"In the future, we plan to carry out launches from Russia's territory only. The talk is about the Plesetsk (180 km south of Arkhangelsk, Northwestern federal district) and Svobodny (the Amur region, Far Eastern federal district) space centers," Vladimir Popovkin reported to the presidents.
Now Russia uses three space centers - Baikonur, Plesetsk and Svobodny. Baikonur, which Russia leases from Kazakhstan, is the only site where Russia launches heavy rockets and manned craft from, the commander said.
Light and medium-class carrier rockets with military purpose satellites are mainly launched from Plesetsk, Vladimir Popovkin said.
