MOSCOW. April 14 (Interfax-AVN) - The first space launch from the Vostochny (Eastern) space center in Russia's Amur region will take place in 2015, Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) chief Anatoly Perminov told journalists on Saturday.
"As regards the Vostochny space center, the dates have been determined, and the first launch will take place in 2015," Perminov said.
The first manned space launch from the Vostochny space pad will take place in 2018, he said.
Perminov said the Soyuz rockets currently in use are unlikely to be fit for launches from Vostochny. "Taking into account that the new spacecraft developed by the Energia space rocket corporation will weigh from 18 to 22 tonnes, it will be impossible to use even remodeled Soyuz rockets to launch them," he said.
Remodeled Soyuzes can carry payloads of 16 to 17 tonnes, he said.
"Therefore, we take a close look at Angara [rocket]. True, it has serious problems with its engine, and therefore the likely solution will be some symbiosis of the Angara, Soyuz, and other rockets," Perminov said.
All of Russia's manned spacecraft have so far been launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. Moscow and Astana agreed some time ago to extend the lease of the Baikonur space center to 2050. Russia pays $115 million annually to Kazakhstan for the right to use Baikonur.