MOSCOW, March 2. /TASS/: Beside super-heavy rockets, medium-and heavy-class launch vehicles would be used to deliver cargo to the Moon, says Energia Rocket and Space Corporation CEO Nikolay Sevastyanov.
According to the CEO, the Oryol crewed spacecraft would be launched using super-heavy rockets. The lunar takeoff and landing complex and lunar orbital station modules would also require super-heavy launch vehicles.
"Other cargo, such as scientific equipment and fuel, could be delivered by middle-and heavy-class rockets with lower carrying capacity," Sevastyanov said.
He disclosed that the upcoming Soyuz-5 rocket, currently in development by Energia Corporation, could be used in the lunar station program. It could deliver equipment of smaller mass, such as scientific probes, to the lunar orbit.
Besides, the technology implemented in Soyuz-5 would also be used for the development of the super-heavy vehicle. For example, this Soyuz-5’s first stage would become the super-heavy’s booster. The super-heavy rocket would have six boosters, while the central module would use the 400-ton RD-181 engine.
Heavy launch vehicles, such as Proton-M and Angara-A5, have carrying capacity of 20 to 50 tons. Middle-class rockets, such as Soyuz-5, can deliver approximately 20 tons of cargo.
