MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. The launch of the ultra-light Voronezh carrier rocket, 20 meters long and 2 meters in diameter, which runs on liquid fuel and is capable of placing up to 400 kg of cargo into a 500-km orbit, is planned for 2029, the Skolkovo Foundation press service reported. Skolkovo is coordinated by VEB.RF within a group of domestic development institutions and is working to achieve technological leadership.
"We’ve already completed the rocket’s preliminary design, are preparing drawings and 3D models, and have completed the second stage design mockup. Engine development has been contracted to the Samara-based UEC-Kuznetsov manufacturing facility," noted Nikolai Dzis-Voinarovsky, CEO of 3D Research and Development, as quoted by the press service.
It added that the primary function of ultra-light rockets is to replace retiring satellites in satellite constellations. "Using heavy rockets for this purpose is impractical, as it’s more expensive, and it also requires a long wait for the rocket to be fully loaded. Sometimes the wait can last years, while in emergency situations, there may be an urgent need to launch a satellite within hours. An ultra-light rocket is capable of solving this problem," the press service reported.
"Since Russia is currently actively developing its own satellite constellations, developing its own ultra-light rockets is highly relevant," Dzis-Voinarovsky emphasized. The first launch of the Voronezh carrier rocket is scheduled for December 2029.
Other space designs
The press service added that ensuring security in near-Earth space is a separate issue. This concerns not only protection from targeted attacks by third-party spacecraft, but also from numerous foreign objects. "There are more than 132 million fragments of human-made debris in outer space, moving 12 times faster than a bullet and posing a real threat to spacecraft and the crew members inside. The St. Petersburg-based company Clear Space is working on solving this debris problem. The company develops space lidars, which are essential for evading external threats in near-Earth space," it added.
According to Skolkovo, WARD space lidars designed by Clear Space are equipped with an AI module for classifying objects, and can therefore also be used for docking spacecraft and synchronizing inter-satellite optical communication channels.
"Our mission is to ensure the safety of Russian satellites and assist in performing targeted tasks in Earth orbit using advanced laser technologies," added Clear Space CEO Artem Shavshin.
On cooperation between VEB.RF and Roscosmos
Since October 2025, a project office has been operating within the Roscosmos State Corporation and VEB.RF, the purpose of which is to develop a strategic vision for attracting private investment in the Russian space industry. The partners are currently developing private initiatives to launch PPP projects in the space sector, including remote sensing of the Earth, service launches, the creation of spaceports and ground infrastructure, satellite communications and navigation, and space industry facilities.
The creation of mechanisms for attracting extra-budgetary funds for space activities is in line with the targets of the national project Development of Space Activities in the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2030 and Beyond up to 2036, which envisages an increase in the share of extra-budgetary investments from 5% in 2024 to 35% in 2036.