ZHUKOVSKY. Aug 29 (Interfax) - The new multi-use spacesuit Sokol-M has been developed for flights on the prospective spacecraft Federatsiya, Sergei Pozdnyakov, the head of the scientific production enterprise Zvezda, which developed the spacesuit, told reporters.
"This spacesuit will be reusable. I believe it can be used at least ten times, according to the technical assignment. We hope for such figures," Pozdnyakov said.
RKK Energia is now working on a new generation manned transport spacecraft as part of the experimental design project Federatsiya.
The spacecraft is designed to deliver people and cargo to space stations in the near-earth orbit and is a key element of the existing conception for the exploration of the Moon. In its creation, technologies have been used of which some have no analogies in global cosmonautics.
The returnable spacecraft will be made of the newest composite materials, and reusable docking equipment is envisaged. Modern onboard electronic equipment will allow for more effective approach and docking and will boost the safety of the crew during launch and landing on the Earth.
The Federatsiya's crew will be composed of up to four people. The spacecraft can stay in autonomous flight mode for up to thirty days, and for up to one year during flights to the orbital station. The spacecraft's total mass during flights to the orbital station will be 14.4 tones (19 tonnes in flights to the Moon), the mass of the returned vehicle will be nine tonnes. The Federatsiya is 7.1 meters long.