OREANDA-NEWS. March 09, 2010. According to ROSCOSMOS deputy chief Anatoly Shilov, Russian science vessel “Spektr-R” will be launched from Baikonur in a middle of 2010 by “Zenit-2” launch vehicle with “Fregat-SB” upper-stage.

 
He says: “This launch was reported many times, but now the payload is ready, final assembly is completed. Minor defects were detected during the tests and they are being fixed at the moment. We have great confidence, that “Spektr-R” will be successfully launched in a middle of 2010”

 
“Spektr-R” is being constructed in the scope of “Radioastron” international project. Science vessel is designed to explore the solar wind, interplanetary magnetic fields, galaxies, quasars, black holes and neutron stars. Spacecraft’s active period of exploration must reach five years.
 

Spacecraft is designed on “Navigator” universal platform, developed by Lavochkin Scientific Production Association. Scientific equipment is developed by Academy of Science Physical Institute’s Astrospace center (FIAN) and foreign partners.

This will be also the first flight of “Navigator” platform.