We can already get to the moon and Mars!!!!!

[rocketNICK]

By using the Russian Energia rocket in a configuration with the first stage Energria-T with 8 Zenit boosters and a 2nd stage with an Energia-M we can get to the moon and mars in one shot. Just check out this site.

http://www.k26.com/buran/Info/Hercules/vulkan.html

[JonClarke]

Vulkan was an amazing system, it is a pity it never flew.

I would take a lot of work to get the Energia production line restarted. I am not sure if the tooling still exists.

The infrastructure, much of it in a very poor state of repair (the Engeria/Buran assembly building collapsed a few years ago) and the would need a lot of work as well. It would then have to be upgraded to handle Vulkan.

It's a nice thought though.

Jon

[voyager_3]

I found another good website with lots of info and specs on Energia, it's variants and the Buran Shuttle, http://www.buran-energia.com/

A whole family of launch vehicles, Zenit, Energia-M, Energia and Vulkan using the same basic components, clever idea and a great pity that it wasn't properly developed. It would take a lot of cash to resurrect it and develop it to it's full potential but it could happen if the requirement arose.

[Count Zero]

If the Russians wanted to develop heavy lift in a hurry, they could always revisit the UR700. This superbooster was a modular development of the UR-500 (Proton) and would use many common components.

And, yes, that does answer the trivia question, "What is my avatar?"

[Drbuzz0]

Are there any full sized Energia boosters left? I mean, if they have some of the main boosters lying in a bone yard in Kazakstan in decent shape, then maybe...

But I doubt there are.

And if not do the facilities and capacities to produce such rockets exist as they did?

If not, then you may as well say "There is already a rocket which exists - The Saturn-V. We just need to completely rebuild all the facilities used to produce them and start a new production run"

[publiusr]

This is the Energiya-derived vehicle the Former Soviets will build if any--the Ares-V like Angara 100
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/angara100.html

Past designs
http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/94vol47_vick.htm