Construction of Russia’s Vostochny spaceport to be broadcast live on internet

Web cameras will be installed at the construction site where Russia is building its new Vostochny spaceport in the Far East, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said. The web cameras will provide 24-hour live broadcasts from the construction site. Rogozin criticised the Ministry for Regional Development and the Spetsstroy Federal Agency for Special Construction Projects for failure to implement orders concerning the construction of the spaceport. He demanded that the documents regulating payments for the work done be prepared and submitted to him by September 20. Rogozin said the town of Tsiolkovsky, where the spaceport’s personnel will live, will accommodate at least 25,000 people, mainly young people and may become home to “the young design potential.” President Vladimir Putin said earlier that the creation of the new spaceport Vostochny in the Far East should confirm Russia’s high scientific and technological status. “The implementation of this project should confirm the high scientific and technological status of Russia,” he said. In his opinion, the new spaceport should become “yet another strongpoint for the development of our Far East.” Vostochny should become operational in 2015 and start sending manned missions in 2018. The new spaceport is to ensure the implementation of practically all forward-looking space projects, including manned missions, a new generation of spacecraft and inter-planetary systems. The construction and use of the spaceport will boost the development of the Russian Far East and make it more attractive to investors, the prime minister said. The Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) said it would be a compact, modern and environmentally friendly spaceport and the propellant to be used in the rockets to be launched from Vostochny will not contain any toxic components.