Manned spaceship design unveiled.

[SpaceCowboy]

I thought the Russians were too strapped for another new spacecraft. Besides, weren't they going to upgrade the Soyuz to seat 4?

 

[SiberianTiger]

Besides, weren't they going to upgrade the Soyuz to seat 4?

You can see that the current requirement is a crew of 6 and 500 kilos of stuff. No variety of Soyuz would be able to carry these.

 

[Kodiak]

I thought the Russians were too strapped for another new spacecraft. Besides, weren't they going to upgrade the Soyuz to seat 4?

nope, 4 people would require soyuz to be scaled up in size. Soyuz will recieve an upgrade in the form of,
-switching from analogue to digital automated systems(reduces soyuz empty weight and increases payload)
-thiner but stronger parachute material(reduces bulk of parachute and increases cabin volume)
-Unisex toilet(currently women have to urinate on absorbent pads)
-other minor upgrades(reduceing wire count and gauge, better power managment, etc...)

Upgrades to soyuz are planed out and funded under the current russian space program bugdet. Klipper and this new ACTS, (+follow on design) are funded as concept programs only

 

[SiberianTiger]

A Zenit derivative for the CSTS

This is an LV proposed by Energia for the joint manned spaceship project (though at the first picture you can clearly see an Ariane in the corner):

1st stage is propelled by 4 RD-0163 engines, the second has 1 RD-120. Hull diameter is 4.1 m. The launch mass is about 590 tons.

I doubt that the producer will be Yuzhmash, given that it's a real marvel they still can produce operable Zenits thus far.