Russia plans to put 68 spacecraft into orbit by 2015

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia plans to put 68 spacecraft into orbit by 2015 and to almost double the number of its communications satellites to 44 by 2020, a deputy head of the Central Research Institute of Machine Building said Tuesday, March 26, according to RIA Novosti.

“Under Russia's federal space program, we will launch 68 spacecraft between 2013 and 2015,” Anatoly Malchenko told the InfoSpace Innovative Technologies Forum.

Malchenko said all these spacecraft are now being manufactured or developed, adding that the number of spacecraft could reach 113 by 2020 if a key space program document is approved.

“However, this [number of spacecraft] could be achieved only in cooperation with the international community,” Malchenko noted.

By 2020, Russia plans to increase the number of its communications satellites from 26 to 44. This will raise Russia’s share of the international communications market from 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent.

Malchenko said Russia will also increase the number of D33 remote sensing satellites from four to 26 by 2020.