SAMARA. Sept 29 (Interfax-AVN) - Alexander Kirillin has been appointed director general of the TsSKB-Progress missile and space center, a source in the center's administration told Interfax-Military News Agency on Monday.
Kirillin replaced Academician Dmitry Kozlov, who also worked as constructor general of the center despite being 84 years of age, the source said.
"After a complex heart surgery that Kozlov underwent in Paris last year, the head of the missile and space center decided to retire and submitted a resignation report. Only two persons applied to take part in a competition for his replacement that the Russian Aviation and Space Agency announced in early September. Applicants were required to have 10 years of experience in holding command positions, a research degree, and access to state secrets. At the same time, they were supposed to be under 55 years of age. Kirillin, deputy director general and deputy constructor general of the TsSKB-Progress, was named winner of the competition," the source said.
According to him, different people will hold the positions of the center's director general and constructor general.
TsSKB-Progress was established in April 1996 through the merger of the Central Specialized Design Bureau (TsSKB) and Progress plant. During 40 years of existence, TsSKB designed 26 space systems and seven modifications of carrier rockets, as well as Zenit, Yantar, Resurs and Kometa satellites. TsSKB-Progress currently manufactures Molnia-M, Soyuz-U and Soyuz-FG carrier rockets that put manned and unmanned spacecraft in orbit. In addition, the enterprise is designing the Soyuz-2 carrier rocket with enhanced capacity and the Rezurs-DK satellite. Among important projects involving TsSKB-Progress is partnership with European and French space agencies in launching carrier rockets from the Kourou cosmodrome in French Guyana.