State investment in the creation of a cosmodrome in the Amur Region is comparable in scale to the first Soviet long-term plan for the electrification of Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Monday during a visit to the main construction site.

Rogozin inspected the construction site near the closed city of Uglegorsk by helicopter, and laid a wreath at the monument of first cosmonaut, Yury Gagarin, prior to holding a closed-doors meeting about reform of the space industry.

Rogozin, a Deputy Premier with responsibility for the defense and space industry sectors, said the Vostochny spaceport will not only contribute to the development of the space industry, but also support the growth of the Amur region and the Far East, he said.

"We hope that the beauty that distinguishes the nature of the Far East, plus investment made by the state in the creation of a high performance project, comparable in scale to the Soviet electrification project, all of these will attract the people here. Thus, Russia will be more balanced, will develop not only the European, but also the eastern part of Russia," Rogozin said.

The first launch from the Vostochny site is scheduled for 2015, with the first manned launch slated for 2018.

The cosmodrome will be used to for the launch of medium, heavy and super-heavy rockets.

Rogozin said his next visit to the cosmodrome will be in the fall.

Source: RIA Novosti