The Russian project for the ultralight launch vehicle "Voronezh" has received additional funding of 100 million rubles. The new funds will be directed towards the creation of the NK-3 liquid engine and the completion of key development stages for the rocket, designed to launch small satellites into low Earth orbit.

The investment was provided by the Voskhod fund, whose anchor investor is the Interros group. The fund had previously invested in this project: in 2023, the developers received 120 million rubles, and in 2025, another 60 million rubles were provided by the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations.

The rocket is being developed by the company "3D Research and Development". "Voronezh" is being created as a compact launch vehicle for small spacecraft weighing up to 350 kg into orbits up to 500 km high.

The rocket's launch mass will be about 35 tons. It is expected to be used for launching Earth remote sensing satellites, communication devices, IoT, and navigation systems. One of the tasks of the new launch vehicle will be the rapid replenishment of satellite constellations if it becomes necessary to replace failed spacecraft.

A key element of the project will be the NK-3 engine, which is being developed jointly with PAO "ODK-Kuznetsov" based on the technical solutions of the RD-107A engine, used on the Soyuz family of rockets. Three variants of the propulsion system are planned for the rocket: two modifications for the first stage and one for the second.

The preliminary design stage has been completed, and the developers have begun issuing working design documentation. The first fire tests of the NK-3 engine are scheduled for the end of 2027.

The first launch of the "Voronezh" launch vehicle is scheduled for December 2029. The launch pad will be used at the Vostochny Cosmodrome.