SCI/TECH: Russia to build a new reusable spacecraft

Russian officals have said that engineers are beginning design work on a new reusable spacecraft that will now carry 6 people instead of 3 as currently possible in Soyuz. Additionally, the new spacecraft will be twice as big and more spacious than current Soyuz designs.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com
The spacecraft, designed by the RKK Energiya company, will have a takeoff weight of 12-14 metric tonnes - about twice as much as the Soyuz, which was developed in the late 1960s.
Energiya had done a lot of work on the new vehicle already.
``It has already reached a serious project stage while the Americans are only talking about their spacecraft,'' Koptev said, referring to U.S. plans to build a new spacecraft.



[Edited on 17-2-2004 by SkepticOverlord]

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Link from Space.com