The flight of the prospective transport spacecraft (PTK) Orel is scheduled for 2028-2029, according to Vladimir Solovyov, General Designer at RSC Energia.
He mentioned this while congratulating Oleg Orlov, head of the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on his anniversary, presenting him with a model of the spacecraft.
According to Solovyov, Russian cosmonauts selected by the institute will make the first flight on the PTK Orel. The designer reminded that the spacecraft is designed for a flight to the Moon.
In addition, as part of the domestic space program, cosmonauts will fly to Mars. However, Solovyov did not specify any dates.
PTK Orel is being developed by specialists at RSC Energia. The habitable capsule of the spacecraft is being tested for strength. In particular, it has been equipped with equipment for dynamic testing and emergency response.
The spacecraft will be able to accommodate six cosmonauts. PTK is capable of carrying up to 500 kg of payload. Orel is being designed with future upgrades in mind.
Earlier, Roscosmos reported that the Russian authorities will continue funding the lunar program, despite the emergency with Luna-25.
