To: Robert Dyck
Chairman Winnipeg Chapter
Mars Society Canada
Email: rbdyck@home.com

From: Aleksandr Derechin
RSC Energia
Head of International Division

Dear Mr. Dyck,

We with the interest learned from your letter about the purpose of society "Mars Society" and about the attention to the developments of our corporation.

Version superheavy LV "Energia" with 4 block 1-a stages was twice successfully launched in 1987 and 1988 after these starting of work on LV "Energia" were ended. The restoration only of technologies and elements of infrastructure for the renewal of production LV "Energia" would require completely large investments. Nevertheless, it is possible to expect that the renewal of production and launchings LV "Energia" or, faster, its modification, would cost less than, for example, development superheavy LV of the type Shuttle-C or Magnum.

RSC "Energia" developed the project LV "Energia-M" with two block 1-a stages. Calculated load capacity for LV "Energia-M" on LEO was 34 t. Work on this project was ended in 1995 after the production of the full-scale mock-up, which is located at the spaceport Baikonur.

Project most powerful superheavy LV "Voolkan" - assumed 8 block 1-a stages and load capacities on LEO of approximately 170 t. Work on this project was stopped to the middle of the 80’s at the stage of draft design.

I report also that the questions, connected with manned space flights to Mars are studied by RSC "Energia" from the end of the 50’s. I send to you the text of two articles from the Russian press about contemporary developments of the technologies of manned space flight to Mars by specialists of RSC "Energia".

With the respect,

A. Derechin