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Russian scientists ready to design reusable space launch system in 8 years

The system can be used for building modular orbital stations or delivering cargo to the International Space Station (ISS)

MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. Russian scientists are ready to build a reusable space launch system with a single-stage-to-orbit carrier rocket in eight years, the director of the Polytechnic Institute of the South Urals State University, which takes part in the project, said.

"We have passed the stage of technical design report and, by now, three variants of the spacecraft have been designed. If we start working in 2020, a prototype of a carrier rocket should be ready by 2028. It will take five years to design the [launch] platform and eight years - for the entire system," Sergei Vaulin said.

The system can be used for building modular orbital stations or delivering cargo to the International Space Station (ISS).

The project, codenamed Korona, was ran by the Makeyev State Rocket Center between 1992 and 2012, but was suspended due to lack of financing. In 2017, the center suggested resuming it.

In November 2019, the South Urals State University said its scientists were ready to join the project.

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