A TASS source in the rocket and space industry has named the date of the second-ever launch of the Russian heavy rocket Angara-A5 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.
“The launch is scheduled for November 24,” the source said.
In July, former general director and ex-designer of the Khrunichev Center, Vladimir Nesterov, explained the high cost of Angara-A5. “Wages, electricity, gas, heat, overhead costs, transport services need to be entered somewhere. And when a three-time production cycle is hung on one product, naturally, its price triples, ”said the former head.
In July, according to the financial report of the Khrunichev Center for 2019, it was reported that the cost of production of Angara-A5 is seven billion rubles, which is three times more expensive than the Proton-M rocket, which it is to replace.
The Khrunichev Center is considered the most problematic and unprofitable enterprise of Roscosmos. One of the company's failed projects is the development of a family of carriers “Angara”, which in the heavy version should replace the “Proton-M”. The creation of missiles has been going on for more than a quarter of a century and has required more than three billion dollars. In light and heavy versions, the carrier flew twice (in 2014). Currently, the debts of the Khrunichev Center exceed 80 billion rubles, which is comparable to the annual budget of the state corporation.
