Russia will create a “Union-7”
Russia will create a missile “Soyuz-7” (“Volga”), told RIA Novosti source in the space industry.
The carrier will develop the project for a superheavy rocket “Yenisei”. The first stage of “Soyuz-7” will be the Central unit of super-heavy carrier, while the first stage of the “Soyuz-5” (“Irtysh”) will serve as the side accelerator.
Rocket “Soyuz-5” and “Soyuz-7” will be different first stage engine. The first rocket will be the power unit RD-171МВ, and the second RD-180. Preliminary design of the “Volga”, according to the source, should be ready by the end of 2019.
In November 2018 on the development of the rocket “Soyuz-7”, said the S7 Space (the owner of the cosmodrome “Sea launch”). But then in private Russian company “Soyuz-7” implied version of “Soyuz-5” with a reusable first stage.
Manufacturer of “Soyuz-5”, “Soyuz-7” and “Yenisei” will be the Samara space-rocket center “Progress”. “Irtysh” should fly from the Baikonur cosmodrome in 2022, “Yenisei” — to the East in 2028.