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Russian space agency retains plans for creating Fenix rocket — source

The RD-171 engine from NPO Energomash, already used in the Zenit rocket, is regarded as a potential first stage

© Marina Lystseva/TASS

MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. The plan of creating the space rocket Fenix remains on the agenda of the Russian space agency Roscosmos plans and has been included in the draft of the federal space program for 2016-2025 despite certain cuts in budget financing, a source in the space rocket industry has said.

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"Research and development under the Fenix project has been preserved in the draft of the federal space program which is undergoing inter-departmental coordination. True, the possibility of removing Fenix from the program was discussed at a certain point, but for now this promising project remains relevant," the source said.

Fenix is part and parcel of a product research and development portfolio, its eventual aim being creation of a new space rocket for manned programs. The Zenit-size rocket may be built according to a modular principle and consist of several modules. A super-heavy configuration is a possibility.

The RD-171 engine from NPO Energomash, already used in the Zenit rocket, is regarded as a potential first stage.

The previous federal space program draft extending till 2025 envisages feasibility studies for developing a medium class space rocket during 2016-2017. Research and development was due to begin as of 2018. Under the project Roscosmos in 2018 through 2025 was to spend more than 30 billion roubles ($430 million) for the purpose.

According to earlier reports the budget financing of the federal space program would be slashed from 2.004 trillion to 1.4 trillion.

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