Russian Space Agency mulls launches from Kuru

The Russian Space Agency (RSA) may launch its new Kliper spacecraft from the Kuru space center in French Guiana, RSA Deputy Director Nikolai Moiseev said Wednesday, reports RIA Novosti.

The plan while still on the drawing board, could involve Russia's new reusable spacecraft Kliper, which was designed from the start to be an international spacecraft and, therefore be capable of being launched from different space centers throughout the world, Moiseev told RIA Novosti.

He also said construction work was in full swing on the new launch pad for the Russian Soyuz-2 rocket at the Guiana space center, located on South America's Caribbean coast.

"The contractors are to build the new launch pad and make it operational within 36 months, beginning in April 2005," he said.

Copyright 2005 by Space Daily, Distributed United Press International