MOSCOW, Nov 30, 2021 (BSS/TASS) - The frequency of flights to the future
Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) will be higher compared to space
missions to the International Space Station (ISS), Roscosmos Chief Dmitry
Rogozin said on Monday.

    "The frequency of flights will be higher and that is why it [a
spacecraft] must be cheaper," the Roscosmos head said after a ceremony to
present the Russian government's Yuri Gagarin Space Awards for 2021.

    The Roscosmos administrator said he had given instructions to Chief
Designer of the Energia Space Rocket Corporation Vladimir Solovyov to
consider creating a universal crewed and resupply ship dubbed Orlyonok (a
derivative of the Oryol spaceship) for flights to the ROSS. "The Energia
Space Rocket Corporation will necessarily outline both the ROSS architecture
and how to fly there," he pointed out.

    Russia is developing its new Oryol manned spacecraft (previously known as
the Federatsiya spaceship) for lunar missions. Its first flight without a
crew is scheduled for December 15, 2023, from the Vostochny spaceport. Its
lighter version has been dubbed Orlyonok. Roscosmos earlier announced that at
least 90% of Oryol components would be used for creating the Orlyonok
spaceship. The Orlyonok is expected to have two seats and be lighter compared
to the four-seat Oryol spaceship.

    The Roscosmos chief earlier said that Russia would develop new technical
tools for manned cosmonautics at the turn of 2026-2027.