MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2019) Russia's Rocket and Space Corporation (RSC) Energia has requested from Roscosmos additional funding of over 18 billion rubles ($286 million) for development of the next-generation Orel spacecraft, previously known as Federatsiya, according to RSC Energia's materials obtained by Sputnik.
"The financing gap is 18 billion rubles," the materials presented to Roscosmos said.
According to the documents, RSC Energia seeks to obtain additional funding within a relevant government contract.
"As for proposed solutions ... To allocate additional funds in the amount of 18.1 billion rubles within a government contract on research and development activities," the materials read.
Currently, the contract for the construction of Orel spacecraft provides funding of 57.5 billion rubles for the period from 2016 to 2025.
The new manned Orel spacecraft will deliver people and cargo to a low Earth orbit, as well as to the Moon. Its crew will include up to four people and the ship will be able to remain in orbit for a maximum of 30 days, in automated flight mode, and up to a year as part of a space station system.
The first Orel launch is planned for 2025.
