Today, Russia is developing a promising reusable rocket powered by Amur-LNG methane — it will receive a returnable first stage and will take off from the Vostochny cosmodrome in the Amur Region. Nikolay Nestechuk, Director General of the Center for the Operation of Ground-Based Space Infrastructure Facilities (CENKI, part of Roscosmos), told TASS in an interview about how the launch complex project is being created now, when construction can begin and what is planned to be borrowed from the Sea Launch.
— Nikolay Nikolaevich, at what stage is the project of the launch complex for the Amur-LNG rocket at Vostochny?
— At the moment, JSC CENKI, under an agreement with JSC RCC Progress, is developing a technical project for the creation of the launch complex KRK (space rocket complex — approx. TASS) Amur-LNG at the Vostochny cosmodrome. The completion of the work is scheduled for November 2024.
At this stage of the work, CENKI JSC is tasked with forming the launch scheme, appearance and key principles of building the launch complex. The main scope of work is related to ensuring such a study of the launch complex, which will allow, upon completion of the stage of the technical project, to proceed as quickly as possible to the development of working documentation.
The development of materials is in an active phase. The starting scheme, the composition of the systems and units of the launch complex, their purpose, principles of operation and interaction, location on the IC (launch complex — approx. TASS) and the main design solutions. At the moment, the scheme of ground—to-board communications with the launch vehicle (launch vehicle — approx. TASS), and the composition of the initial data is being formed in the design organization for the further development of structures and technical systems of the launch complex of the Amur LNG launch complex. In parallel, work is underway to develop documentation for the technological equipment of the launch complex.
— The General Director of Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, recently stated that the construction of the launch pad should become practical in the near future. When does CENKI expect to start such work?
— Two options for the location of the launch complex are currently being considered, the choice of which also determines the timing of construction work.
The launch complex will be located 5 km from the airport complex of the cosmodrome. This location was determined in the preliminary design of JSC RCC Progress and according to the reconnaissance work carried out in 2021.
In order to reduce the time and volume of construction work, at the moment, together with JSC RCC Progress, an alternative location of the launch complex next to the Angara-A5 IC and partial borrowing of its infrastructure are being considered. According to preliminary estimates, with prompt decision-making and documentation development by the design organization, this option will allow construction work to begin in 2026.
The final decision on the location of the launch complex will be made by the developer of the KRK (JSC RCC Progress) together with the customer (Roscosmos Group of Companies).
— The head of the state corporation also noted that your company and the Progress Rocket and Space Center have been tasked with speeding up and reducing the cost of construction of the launch pad. How is this planned to be implemented? In what time frame is the construction expected to be completed?
— In terms of the launch complex, we adopted the concept of using the so-called launch platform, borrowing the experience of the notorious "Sea Launch", where all the technological equipment and, in fact, the entire launch complex was placed in a single structure. We are trying to extend this approach to the realities of the Vostochny cosmodrome and have developed the concept of creating a launch platform as a machine-building facility with optimal placement of the maximum possible amount of technological equipment in it instead of creating many separate construction structures.
This solution will reduce the time and cost of construction work, as well as ensure safety and reliability requirements.
As mentioned earlier, the final decision on the configuration of the construction infrastructure and the location of the launch complex will be made by the developer of the KRK (JSC RCC Progress) together with the customer (Roscosmos Group of Companies), and the timing of construction will depend on this.
— According to Yuri Borisov, the experience of Elon Musk and his company SpaceX was used in the design. What kind of innovative ideas does CENKI expect to introduce?
— First of all, this issue most likely concerns the RCC Progress. Thus, two solutions explicitly appear in this PH: the return of the first stage and the use of LNG (liquefied natural gas — approx. TASS) as fuel.
For us, the above-mentioned construction of an IC using a launch platform and solving tasks related to LNG operations became innovative ideas in this direction. Given the high purity class of the LNG used (grade A), special attention is paid to the issues of receiving and refueling the component while maintaining its condition. In general, working with LNG as a rocket fuel is an innovative task.