The company 3D Research and Development, the developer of the Voronezh ultra-light launch vehicle, has attracted 60 million rubles from the NTI Sovereign Technologies Fund (NTI). The project is being implemented within the framework of the Voskhod Fund's industry accelerator (the anchor investor is Vladimir Potanin's Interros Group) - Voskhod - Space Technologies. Voskhod itself previously invested 120 million rubles in the company.
The company is developing the Voronezh ultra-light class launch vehicle, capable of launching up to 250 kg of payload into low Earth orbit. The takeoff weight of the rocket will be 35 tons, and it will be used to form, service, and replenish low-orbit satellite constellations at an altitude of 500 km.
Currently, the development is at the stage of completing the preliminary design. For the Voronezh rocket, specialists from the Samara enterprise ODK-Kuznetsov (part of Rostec) are creating two modifications of liquid rocket engines for the first and second stages.
The funds from Voskhod and NTI will be used to complete the preliminary design of the space rocket complex, including the Voronezh launch vehicle and a liquid rocket engine, as well as to create a design model of the second stage of the rocket. The agreement between the Voskhod funds, the FST and the 3D Research and Development company provides for the possibility of further financing of the project.
Medium and heavy class launch vehicles, which are currently used to launch small spacecraft into orbit, cannot be launched frequently due to their significant payload (from 7 tons). In addition, space on such rockets for commercial satellites is limited - they usually go as a secondary load only if there is space and only to those orbits where the main "cargo" is sent.
Ultra-light rockets can help solve this problem: if there is a launch schedule agreed with Roscosmos, commercial satellites can be launched by private rockets into the required orbits with the planned frequency.
"Services for the prompt launch of satellites are becoming increasingly popular against the backdrop of the expansion of satellite constellations. This creates demand for ultra-light launch vehicles, while there are no serial solutions on the market. The accession of the NTI Sovereign Technologies Fund to the project emphasizes the importance of scientific, industrial and, of course, financial cooperation, which is necessary for the successful implementation of space projects," said Ruslan Sarkisov, Managing Partner of the Voskhod Foundation.
According to the Voskhod Foundation, by 2035 the volume of launch services on ultra-light rockets will amount to about 20-25 launches per year to service existing satellite constellations and launch new satellites, and the total cost of launch services on ultra-light rockets could amount to 20 billion rubles.
"Investments in projects related to the aerospace industry are one of the FTS priorities. The creation of an ultra-light launch vehicle is important for the purposes of ensuring technological sovereignty, and also corresponds to the goals and objectives of the NTI Aeronet roadmap. We believe that the key employees of the project company and our strategic partner, Voskhod Management Company, have sufficient competencies for the successful implementation of this project. At the same time, it should be noted that the complete solution of such complex industrial problems in Russia, as in any other country in the world, requires significant government support," noted Vladimir Kompaneyshchikov, head of the NTI Sovereign Technologies Fund.
"In the 90s, there were ultra-light conversion rockets in Russia, but they stopped flying long ago. At the same time, recently, satellites have started to appear in large quantities in the world and in our country, thanks to the progress of electronics, so light and compact that a rocket with a payload of 250 kg is becoming relevant again. We are grateful to our investors for supporting one of the pioneers of private rocket engineering in Russia," said Nikolai Dzis-Voynarovsky, CEO of 3D Research and Development.
For reference:
The Voskhod Fund’s portfolio (the “anchor” investor is the Interros Group) includes more than 30 companies, primarily in complex science-intensive areas, including space technology, robotics, biomedical technology, etc. The total volume of funds under management is 18 billion rubles. The fund has been investing since 2022.
The fund's portfolio includes two projects that develop ultra-light launch vehicles for satellite launches. In addition to 3D Research and Development, the fund also invested in the company OKB Kulon (RN SLK Paragon). Both projects are part of a space accelerator specially created by the fund, which functions as a project office and supports product development. Including assistance with additional staffing of teams with industry specialists, building internal development and management processes, product improvements, etc. All projects are developed in close cooperation with Roscosmos.
The Sovereign Technologies Fund (STF) was established by the NTI Fund and Popov Radio Corporation JSC in December 2022. It was created as an investment partnership within the framework of the NTI Venture Financing project. The STF will operate until 2033. Unmanned aircraft, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, space, micro- and radio electronics, wireless communication technologies, etc. were chosen as priority sectors for investment. The work of the STF is designed to strengthen the capabilities of the venture industry and increase the level of technological sovereignty of the Russian Federation. The STF signed memorandums on the creation of joint venture funds (sub-funds) with a number of partners. The total volume of investment commitments within the STF and sub-funds created with the participation of the STF currently amounts to about 9.3 billion rubles. The maximum amount of their investment commitments is about 62 billion rubles.
More details in the media:
https://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/news/2025/01/27/1088586-fond-nti-vlozhil?from=copy_text
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