MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. The drop tests of an emergency escape system for Russia’s latest Oryol crewed spacecraft will begin in 2023, Chief Designer of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology Yuri Solomonov told TASS on Monday.

"This is the so-called rocket escape unit for manned launches atop large carriers. The work is being organized in a way to hold first full-scale drop tests in 2023," the chief designer said, replying to the corresponding question.

The funds for the work have been allocated and the effort is proceeding as scheduled, the chief designer said.

The new rescue system is very complex in terms of its functioning, he said.

Today emergency escape systems are installed on Soyuz spacecraft and their task is to divert the upper stage with the spacecraft away from a faulty rocket. The Soyuz emergency escape system consists of a rod with a rocket engine and grid fins that make the separable unit stable during the flight, he said.

The Oryol spacecraft’s escape system will be considerably more complex as it will be controlled by engines without aerodynamic stabilizers. The new emergency escape system will consist only of a rod with the main engine and the thruster, he noted.

Russia is developing the crewed Oryol spacecraft for lunar missions. Its first crewless flight is scheduled for 2023 from the Vostochny spaceport. Russia plans to start flights to the Moon aboard the Oryol spacecraft from 2028.