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Russia’s Phoenix carrier rocket not intended for manned flights

The rocket would have to be seriously adapted for its use in a manned flight program

© Artiom Geodakyan/TASS

MOSCOW, September 30. /TASS/. The Phoenix carrier rocket being developed as part of Russia’s federal space program is not designed for its use in manned flights, CEO of Energia Rocket and Space Corporation Vladimir Solntsev said on Friday.

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"Zenit is not a manned carrier rocket and the rocket we are now designing [as part of the Phoenix R&D works] is not intended for manned flights either," he said.

This rocket needs to be seriously adapted for its use in a manned flight program as "completely different requirements will be set" to it in this case, Solntsev said.

The Energia CEO said that the Phoenix carrier rocket was being developed, using the potential created in the Energia-Buran project, in which the Zenit rocket was used as the first stage.

It was earlier reported that the new product was being developed as the first stage of a super-heavy carrier rocket required for exploring the outer space, including manned flights to the Moon.

Read also

Russian carrier rockets: from transporting astronauts to commercial launches

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