Vladimir Popovkin
Photo: The Voice of Russia
Russia is developing a principally new type of a spaceship for interplanetary flights, the head of the Roscosmos Space Agency told reporters on April 12, which is traditionally marked as Cosmonautics Day in Russia.
“We are already through with the technical design and the first unmanned mission by this new spacecraft is slated for 2018,” Vladimir Popovkin said.
He also mentioned the ongoing upgrade of the workhorse Soyuz spaceship with a digital flight control system and a advanced rendezvousing system. Engineers are now working on a new engine and life-support system, Popovkin added.
Voice of Russia, TASS
http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_04_12/Russia-develops-new-type-spaceship-983/