MOSCOW, April 10. /TASS/. Russia has started manufacturing a number of components for the first Rokot-M carrier rocket that will be equipped with a domestic control system in place of the previously used Ukrainian-manufactured system, CEO of the Khrunichev Space Center (the rocket’s developer) Alexey Varochko told TASS.

"The Rokot-M project has been contracted with our cooperation on components, and the production of test items is underway, as well as of a number of long-lead components for the first rocket," Varochko said in an interview with TASS.

In May 2022, Varochko announced that the inaugural launch of a Rokot-M carrier rocket from the Plesetsk space center was planned for 2024.

He said at that time that the inaugural launch of the Rokot-M upgraded carrier rocket with the Russian control system had been initially planned for 2022. However, he said that following a detailed audit, experts concluded that the rest of the space carrier’s equipment should be upgraded as well.

In 2018, the Khrunichev Space Center announced that it was carrying out work on creating the Rokot-2 carrier rocket with a new control system to replace the Ukrainian equipment installed on Rokot launch vehicles.

The Rokot light carrier rocket has been derived from the RS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile under the program of re-converting military hardware into civil products.

The first launch of a Rokot rocket took place from the Plesetsk spaceport in northern Russia in 2000. Overall, the Khrunichev Space Center produced and launched over 30 rockets with the Ukrainian control system under the Rokot project.