SAMARA, Volga Region. Feb 19 (Interfax-AVN) - The local TsSKB-Progress state missile and space center completed the first stage of production of the 13th Foton series satellite, a spokesman for the center told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
"The construction of satellites was resumed after a three- year break caused by various reasons including organizational and financial troubles," the spokesman said. Earlier the center produced satellites for space research practically every year. 12 Foton satellites were put in the terrestrial orbit before 1999.
The previous satellite of the series, Foton-12, was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome by the Soyuz-U booster rocket in September 1999. The satellite was fitted with research equipment from Russia, Germany, Sweden, France which was instrumental in testing space biotechnologies in low-level microgravitation conditions.
Launches of Foton satellites from the cosmodrome started on April 16, 1985.
The new Foton-13 spacecraft will be fitted with research and production equipment starting from late March. Its launch is scheduled for late summer or early autumn this year.
The satellite is intended for carrying out research in the sphere of space technologies and obtaining samples of various expensive materials in space.