MOSCOW, August 10 (AVN) - The Plesetk cosmodrome is ending building infrastructure for commercial launches of the Rokot booster, Gennady Biryukov, constructor general of the Transport Machine Building Design Bureau, told the Military News Agency.
According to him, the first line of the launch and technical complex has been constructed. That allowed for the first successful demonstrational launch of the Rokot booster. The assemble and construction works will be completed by the end of 2000. The launching complex of the Plesetsk spaceport will be ready for commercial launches of the Rokot rocket by 2001.
The Rokot light class booster rocket was developed on the base of the RS-18 (SS-19 Stilet) intercontinental ballistic missile commissioned in 1975. The conversion of the missile was made by the Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Centre by adding a Briz-K acceleration block and new nose cone. The rocket has a launching mass of 107t (without payload). It can carry up to 1,800 kg cargo.