A decision on starting work on the conceptual design of a new Russian super-heavy carrier rocket may be taken in the coming weeks, a source in the rocket and space industry told TASS on Wednesday.

"State Space Corporation Roscosmos is expected to issue a resolution in the coming weeks on the conceptual designing of the super-heavy carrier rocket," the source said.

This work will last 18-24 months. Over this period, developers should determine the rocket’s design and its technical characteristics and outline the missions, for which it can be used. Roscosmos’s resolution will also define the parent organization and cooperation for the launcher’s development.

All the stages of the rocket’s designing should be approved in accordance with the rules by Roscosmos’ chief research institute TsNIImash and its scientific and technical council, the source added.

It was reported earlier that the first launch of the super-heavy carrier rocket was planned already for 2028 while its launch pad at the Vostochny cosmodrome in the Russian Far East should be ready by 2027. The work to build the launch infrastructure will begin after the construction of the launch pad for the Angara rocket is over. Roscosmos has not commented on this information.