HIRDES—The main instrument of the WSO/UV satellite

The World Space Observatory for the Ultra‐Violet (WSO/UV) is a planned space telescope dedicated for astronomical observations in the UV spectral range. It consists of a 1.7 m primary mirror and a suite of instruments for spectroscopy and imaging. Launch is foreseen for 2014 with a Zenit‐2SB into a geosynchronous orbit. WSO will work as a space observatory with a core program, guaranteed time for the project partners, and time open to the world‐wide community. The WSO project is led by the Institute for Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Russia is responsible for the 1.7 m telescope, the spacecraft and the launch vehicle.The main instrument is HIRDES: a High‐Resolution Double Echelle Spectrograph whose design and construction is being led by the Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Tubingen, Germany. We present the design characteristics of this spectrograph.