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Putin proposes to name town to be built near Vostochny cosmodrome after Tsiolkovsky

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was a Russian and Soviet rocket scientist and pioneer of the astronautic theory

VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME (Amur Region), April 12 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed to name the town that will be built near the Vostochy cosmodrome after Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

During a video communication session with the International Space Station (ISS) Putin said that there is not a single locality in Russia that would bear the name of the scientist.

The RF president said that April 12 was declared Cosmonautics Day in honor of the first space flight performed by Yuri Gagarin. “However, it was not the beginning, it was a continuation of what is called cosmonautics today, and Tsiolkovsky was one of the first people in the country, and indeed in the world who addressed these problems,” Putin said.

“I think that a new town – and not just a spaceport, not just a launch site will be built here – a research center and a town will be built here, so I think that it will be right if after consulting with the local residents we will name the future town Tsiolkovsky,” Putin said.

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky is a Russian and Soviet rocket scientist and pioneer of the astronautic theory.

The Vostochny cosmodrome is being built in the Amur Region not far from the closed town of Uglegorsk. The first launch of rockets from the spaceport is scheduled for 2015, the first manned launch – for 2018. The spaceport will be used to fulfill future tasks of Russia’s space activities with the use of the medium-, heavy- and super heavy-class rockets.

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