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S7 plans to test elements of its prospective space rocket this year

A concrete laboratory is yet to be selected for the purpose

MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Russian company S7 Space plans to test fuel tanks of its prospective light space rocket in an independent laboratory this year, the head of the company's technological research department, Arseny Kisarev, has told TASS.

"We plan to test the rocket’s elements, namely fuel tanks of a smaller size, with a diameter of 1.5 meters. The trials are aimed at proving that the structure is durable. A concrete laboratory is yet to be selected for the purpose. In other words, there has been no firm contract for trials so far," he said.

The official expressed hope that the trials would be carried out by TsNIIMash (Central Research Institute of Machine Building), a main research institution of Russia’s state-run space corporation Roscosmos.

"However, choosing another lab is also possible, if it corresponds to our requirements of the testing procedure," he said.

In an earlier interview, published by the Rosmould channel on YouTube, Kisarev said the work is scheduled for completion in 2022.

The S7 Development Center announced in September 2020 that it had started to design its own reusable light-class space rocket back in 2019. According to the report, the expertise accumulated during the project could later be used to design a medium-class rocket for the Sea Launch floating platform.

The Sea Launch, comprising a floating launch platform and a command ship conducted 36 space launches (32 of them successful) before suspending its launch activities in 2014. It was acquired by Russia’s S7 Group in 2016. On the same year, S7 Group established a subsidiary, S7 Space, to manage the project. The company acquired a license for space activities in February 2017 and for designing and modernizing space rockets and other delivery vehicles - in 2018.

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