Russia to Launch Proton-M Heavy Rocket for Foreign Customer in Fall 2022
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The next launch of a Proton-M heavy spacecraft will be conducted by Russia in the fall of 2022 for a foreign customer, Alexey Varochko, the director general of the Moscow-based Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, has told Sputnik.
"The launch of a Proton-M launch vehicle for the Roscosmos state corporation's target program in the interest of a foreign customer is scheduled for fall of this year," Varochko said.
The director general added that the spacecraft has already been delivered to the Baikonur Cosmodrome's technical complex and is ready for work with a space head module.
Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin earlier told Sputnik that Russia was planning two launches of Proton-M spacecraft in summer and late fall. Russia has yet to conduct Proton-M launches in 2022.
Three Proton-M launches were initially planned for 2022 — all three spacecraft have already been brought to the Baikonur Cosmodrome. One of the said spacecraft was planned to launch the Russian-European mission ExoMars 2022; however, the mission has been suspended due to anti-Russia sanctions.
© Sputnik / Roscosmos / Go to the mediabankLaunch of the Proton-M carrier rocket with the Breeze-M upper stage and the Express-AMU3 and Express-AMU7 spacecraft from the launch complex of the Baikonur cosmodrome.
Launch of the Proton-M carrier rocket with the Breeze-M upper stage and the Express-AMU3 and Express-AMU7 spacecraft from the launch complex of the Baikonur cosmodrome.
© Sputnik / Roscosmos
/ Russia currently has 14 Proton-M spacecraft either already assembled or at the production stage. Moscow is planning to suspend the use of Proton-Ms after they all are launched.