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Voronezh plant to start producing systems for Federation spacecraft in 2017

The Federation is the next-generation reusable spacecraft, expected to enter service in 2021

© Sergei Savostyanov/TASS

VORONEZH, February 2. /TASS/. The Voronezh-based Orbita company will start serial production of equipment to be installed on Russia’s next-generation Federation manned spacecraft, the regional government’s press service said Thursday.

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Unmanned Federation spacecraft to be launched from Vostochny spaceport in 2021

"In December 2016, the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (RKK Energia) has approved the first stage of works to create electricity circuits for the new Russia manned spacecraft, the Federation, to replace Soyuz spacecrafts and Progress space freighters. In mid-2017, Orbita will start serial production of this equipment," the Voronezh Region government said.

The Federation is the next-generation reusable spacecraft, expected to enter service in 2021 to replace Russia’s flagship Soyuz spacecraft. It will be capable of delivering people and cargo both to the Earth orbit and the Moon.

The orbital version of the vehicle will measure 20 feet (6.1 meters) in length and weigh approximately 14.4 metric tons, the lunar version will be nearly five metric tons heavier.

The spacecraft is designed to send up to four cosmonauts to space. It will be able to operate in the autonomous regime for up to 30 days, with the possibility of staying attached to the International Space Station (ISS) for up to one year. It will be launched atop the heavy Angara-A5V and Angara-A5P rockets.

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