NEWTOWN, Conn. - According to Russian manufacturer Khrunichev, the first lightweight Angara is ready to launch. The Angara 1.2PP is the light-class member of the Angara family of launch vehicles. Later this month, the launch vehicle will be sent to the Plesetsk space center in northern Russia, where it will perform its maiden flight. However, a launch date has not been specified.
Based on previous statements made by Russian government officials, the Angara will not make its first launch until 2014. Previous delays to the program had once made that date look too ambitious. However, with the completion of the launch vehicle, a 2014 date now looks more realistic.
Despite the hardships facing the Angara family of rockets, production is expected to increase steadily from 2015. The flexibility of the Angara family will allow a steady rate of production to fulfill multiple market niches. Production will be further bolstered by plans for this family of launch vehicles to replace a number of predecessors, including the Rockot, Kosmos 3M, Zenit, and Proton. International Launch Services will operate the Angara family of launchers on the commercial market, while the Russian government will use Angara launch vehicles to carry military spacecraft into orbit, replacing the Proton.
