Investments in the project will exceed 2.7 bln Rubles

Photo: Roscosmos

United Engine Corporation will make engines to ensure the launch of Russia’s first small-lift launch vehicles. They are intended to put commercial satellites into Earth orbit, the launch vehicle payload will be about 250 kg. An appropriate agreement was signed by Vadim Badekha, General Director of UEC, and Ruslan Sarkisov, Managing Partner of Voskhod venture fund, on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. 

The parties have agreed to develop modifications of liquid-fuel rocket engines for small-lift launch vehicles. They will be used for the first and second spacecraft stages. Engineers of UEC-Kuznetsov in Samara will implement the project, investment in which will achieve 2.7 bln Rubles. Engines of this class are being developed by UEC for the first time. 

“Such a level of agreement is very important for us. The project is strategically important, the investment will be more than 2.7 bln Rubles. A small-lift launch vehicle will be created for the first time in the modern history of Russia, the design bureau of UEC-Kuznetsov in Samara is to develop engine modifications for it. UEC has wide engineering and technical capabilities, and uses advanced technology to create a perfect product that will open new opportunities of placing Russian satellites into Earth orbit,” pointed out Vadim Badekha, General Director of UEC, member of the Bureau of the Central Council of the Russian Mechanical Engineering Union. 

UEC-Kuznetsov will start research and development work as early as this year and taking into account the desired engine specifications.