OREANDA-NEWS. December 18, 2008. A.E. Serdyukov, Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, visited Khrunichev State Space R&D and Production Center today in order to get familiar with its production capabilities and advanced development branches.

The Minister was hosted by A.N.Perminov, Head of the Russian Federal Space Agency, A.N.Bobryshev, Member of the Military-Industrial Committee under the Russian Government, and V.E.Nesterov, Khrunichev Center DG.

During the visit, special emphasis was made on the Center`s involvement in the Angara development.

Khrunichev Space Center plays a role of the prime contractor in developmet of this universal space launch system, thus bearing the responsibility for its design, manufacturing and tests. Angara is to become the main Russian launch vehicle in the nearest future.

As reported by V.E.Nesterov, autonomous tests of the rocket module units are conducted; universal rocket modules of the first ans second stages are prepared for firing tests; fit-checks with the real full-scale mockup of the first-stage rocket module are completed; preparation of the third-stage rocket module has begun.

Angara is to be delivered to the Plesetsk space port in 2010. The set of ground tests in the first quarter of 2011 will be followed by the launch of light-class Angara. Heavy-lift Angara is to fly at the end of 2011.