Roskosmos started production of the first Rokot-M launch vehicle

Center them. M. V. Khrunichev (part of Roskosmos) began production of some elements of the first Rokot-M flight launch vehicle. About it informs TASS with reference to the general director of the enterprise Alexei Varochko.

“According to the Rokot-M project, a contract was made with our cooperation on component elements, bench products are being manufactured, as well as a number of elements of the first flight rocket with long production times,” he said.

The missile will be equipped with a Russian, not Ukrainian, control system. In 2014, Ukraine supplies equipment to Russia. In August 2018, it became known that the center was developing the Rokot-2 launch vehicle (later Rokot-M) with a domestic control system that would replace the Ukrainian one installed on the Rokot missiles. Initial launch was planned in the second half of 2022, TASS notes that now the first launch is expected in 2024.

The Rokot carrier rocket has been used for commercial launches since 2000. It is designed to launch spacecraft with a mass of up to 2 tons into low Earth orbits. In February 2023 Roscosmos reportedthat since 2018, there have been 100 successful rocket launches in a row, including three launches of Rokot launch vehicles.

The last launch of Rokot took place in December 2019. Then the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the end of this program in connection with plans to use upgraded missiles of this type in the future.