December 4, Baikonur Cosmodrome.
On the launch pad of the western launch area, an odd rocket had already been erected, pointing toward the sky above the grassland.
Miklin Yevgeny, who looked even older than last year, did not stay at the command center in Moscow but was not far from the launch pad, watching the rocket that was about to launch.
Beside him were many members of the design bureau, and even the director, Borisov, who had come. The latter put down his binoculars and looked toward the composed Miklin:
"Yevgeny, is this our first recoverable rocket?"
"At least it's partially recoverable."
There wasn't much emotion in Miklin's tone, which made one think he might not be very satisfied with it.
But Borisov didn't think so. The Angara S2 was an unequivocal reusable rocket, and moreover, it was the world's first recoverable rocket to use a gliding recovery method.
