Russia’s Space Prospects
Anatoly A.Konorev, Ph.D., Department Head
Central Research Institute for Machine Building (TsNIIMASh)
The space activities have become a part of the humankind daily life. Civilization
can not exist any more without the telecommunication and navigation fields built
based on the space constellations, as well as the Earth space remote sensing data.
The manned space missions within the near-Earth space have become something
common.
The humans’ penetration into the outer space is a powerful accelerator of the
science and technical progress. The space researches call for the existence the new
branches of today’s science and technology as well as stimulate the development
of the previously existed ones. The space programs had posed a number of
unprecedentedly complicated research tasks, called for the urgent solution of a
number of technical problems, put the new research methods in the forefront. Very
recently simple surviving during the space mission used to be a main flight task,
then we would learn how to work in the microgravity conditions, and now
maximizing the space activities’ benefits is the order of the day.
Russia is by right considered a pioneer of the space exploration. Both first Earth
artificial satellite and first manned spaceship had been launched from here. Now
the Russian Federation is counted among the leading space powers. This is due to
the existence, effective usage and development of the national space potential.
The national space potential includes:
 Space systems, complexes and means, including the orbital constellations
and the ground infrastructure (launch centers, ground centers for
spacecraft control, data acquisition and distribution, etc.);
 Technologies, manufacturing capabilities, experimental facilities;
 Space education system;
 Basic sciences and technologies assuring the future space exploration.
Just few countries now dispose of the full-scale space potential. Besides Russia,
these are the United States, China, India, Japan and the European ESA member
countries. However, by now only Russia, USA and China have the full manned
spaceflight capability available and implement the national manned space
programs. That defines Russia’s situation in the international space community.
The preserving and strengthening of the Russian space program achievements is
the major state-level task of the country’s Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos).
According to the Russian Federation Law on the Space Activities and the
President’s Decree of March 9th, 2004 Roscosmos operates under the direct
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guidance of the country’s Government and acts as the federal executive power
authorized body in charge for the space activities. Among the other functions,
Roscosmos:
 Assures the state space policy implementation, provides the space activities
regulations, provides the state services in the space field and manages the
state-own assets related to the space activities;
 Participates in the development and implementation of the international
space cooperation programs;
 Coordinates the rocket and space industry activities in the space fields.
During the last decade of XX century there was a significant decrease of the
Russia’s space efforts’ level, which is not a secret at all. However, then the time
for stabilization and further progress would come.
The years since 2001 to 2004 had become the turning point. During this period the
state funding of the space program had increased by more than 2.5 times thus
providing the favorable conditions for the national space potential growth. As a
significant success one can mention the increasing population and qualitative
improving of the national orbital constellation (Fig.1). The integrated works had
been performed to modify existing and deploy the new space launch vehicles.
Soyuz-FG and Proton-M upgraded launch vehicles had been flight tested
successfully.
The space industry had finished the year 2004 and is finishing the year 2005
having the good indicators of the production volume and the labor productivity.
The Russia’s space activity plans before the 2015 are defined by the country’s
Federal Space Program for 2006-2015 (FKP-2015 is a Cyrillic abbreviation). The
program’s goal is
Satisfaction of the state authorities’, country’s regions’ and population’s
growing requirements for the space assets and services
based on
- increasing the outer space use efficiency;
- extending the international cooperation;
- fulfilling the country’s space-related international obligations.
(see Fig.2)
FKP-2015 provides for deployment of the renovated orbital constellations for all
main directions of the space activities.
It is planned to deploy 26 fixed service and 12 mobile service communication
satellites by 2015. That will allow trebling the national orbital capacity as
compared to 2005. The national mobile and personal satellite communication
systems will be deployed based on these orbital capabilities (Fig.3).
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In 2006-20015 it is planned to deploy the extended Earth remote sensing
constellation providing for the effective natural systems’ monitoring,
hydrometeorology observations, environment monitoring and emergencies’ control
as well as rational usage of the natural resources. (Fig.4).
In particular, dedicated Resurs-P Earth remote sensing satellites will be launched
periodically since 2010. They will provide 0.5 to 2 meter spatial resolution multispectral
imagery and 5 to 10 meter visual and IR imagery. Also, Resurs-P will carry a package for
data acquisition from the autonomous ground meteorology platforms.
Two space meteorology complexes are to be deployed. Electro geostationary satellite will
act as part of the World Meteorology Organization data network, while Meteor-M
spacecraft will operate in the middle Earth orbit.
The task of the short-range earthquake forecasting is gaining the growing actuality now.
Since 2009 it is planned to launch Kanopus satellites equipped with the sensors
registering the atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere seismic precursor data.
The research satellite constellation will perform the solar and astrophysical
observations, planet science and life science research (Fig.5).
FKP-2015 emphasizes the basic space research programs. It is planned to implement a
number of space astronomy and astrophysics projects, including deployment of Spektr
orbital observatories. First of them, Radioastron/Spektr-R will be launched in 2007 to
carry out the radio interferential measurements jointly with the ground network. SpektrUF is going to be launched in 2010 to carry the 1.7 meter telescope; finally, Spektr-RG is
planned for 2011 as the international roentgen and gamma ray observatory. Also,
Koronas-Foton and Intergeliozond research Earth satellites are planned for 2007 and
2014 respectively.
Phobos-Grunt and Venera-D will conduct the interplanetary research programs. PhobosGrunt will deliver the instruments for Phobos remote research and also will provide for
Phobos soil sample return to Earth. Venera-D will provide Venus surface and atmosphere
research. Also, Luna-Glob Moon research space complex is planned.
The Russian segment of the International Space Station (Fig.6) in 2008-2011 will
be equipped with three additional modules allowing extending the national
experimental program onboard.
The complete 8-module ISS Russian segment (RS) will be deployed in 2011. The
existing space transportation means will be used by 2013 for the RS support; afterwards,
new Clipper multipurpose manned spaceship will be introduced. Also, it is planned to
continue the preliminary R&D works aimed at the next generation national multipurpose
space station, Moon base and Mars expedition complex
It is necessary to mention that one of the key factors defining the future of the
national manned space program is the possibility of the ISS project abandonment
in 5 to 6 years that is now discussed by our international partners. That adds some
uncertainty for the mid-term international manned space programs planning.
It is also planned to replenish GLONASS satellite navigation constellation to
include 18 spacecraft by 2007 and 24 spacecraft by 2010. The new improved
Glonass-M and Glonass-K will be used for this purpose. (Fig.7).
The plans call for equipping with the differential GLONASS ground subsystems 50 sea
and river ports, no less than 100 airports and a number of other infrastructure objects.
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GLONASS satellite navigation system and KOSPAS-SARSAT international search and
rescue satellite-aided system working together will provide the increased spatial accuracy
and quicker emergency notification (less than 10 seconds) for the global emergencies’
monitoring.
The research will be continued in the space material science. The existing shortliving Foton-M spacecraft will be replaced by long-living ISS-tended Oka-T space
laboratories.
The Russian space program is internationally recognized for its capabilities. The
Russian spacecraft, launch vehicles and ground infrastructure allow providing the
services and assistance to the international partners in the following major fields:
 Operational space infrastructure objects, including ground testing facilities,
reliable launch vehicles (primarily Proton and Soyuz families), ISS Russian
segment, Earth remote sensing systems, GLONASS space navigation
system, space telecommunication systems;
 Advanced rocket and space technologies, including different rocket engines,
on-board nuclear power plants, space docking systems, aerospace materials
(carbon composites, nonferrous alloys and alloyed steel), manufacturing
technologies;
 Space activities’ results, including long-term spaceflight experience,
archived Earth remote sensing data, microgravity research customized and
archived data, unique manned missions’ and constellations’ control
experience.
The outer space research and exploration experience gained by Russia and other
space powers is a common property of the world community. The space means
allow solution of the global problems of the Earth civilization sustainable
development. The most fundamental problems include:
 Humankind safe existence ensuring
 Earth and humankind protection, damages’ mitigation
 Renewable space energy sources use for resolving the Earth problems
 Global environment monitoring system creation for weather and climate
monitoring and control, atmosphere, water and soil pollution sources’
identification, rapid forecasting and monitoring of the natural and mancaused emergencies
 Comprehension of the humankind’s place in the Universe and the Solar
system development regularity.
To resolve these problems it is advisable to use the existing and planned national
and international space telecommunication systems. Also, the international space
community could develop and implement the international program that would
include the following space systems operating as a single complex:
 Unified space system for the Earth natural resources’ research and global
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geophysical monitoring;
 International space-based military security monitoring system allowing the
regional or global conflict monitoring, forecasting and tension relaxation;
 International meteorology and space weather monitoring system with the
direct data access for the subscribers using, in particular, the high orbital
space environment monitoring spacecraft.
The highly interdependent nature of the international space programs calls for the
harmonization of the national efforts in other major fields of the space activities. In
particular, the further service-level integration of the existing and planned space
navigation systems is needed. Also, the development of the national launch
capabilities for most of the applied and research missions should be harmonized
worldwide keeping in mind the necessity of the closer cooperation in the planned
large scale civilian programs like Moon and Mars exploration as well as possible
Earth defense and nuclear waste disposal missions.
Russia is ready for the fair collaboration in solving the mentioned problems
including deployment of the necessary space systems and complexes while
preserving the priority of the complete satisfaction of the national requirements for
the space products and services.
Talking to the international space community at the 56 th International Astronautical
Congress in Fukuoka, Japan this October, the Russian delegation head had outlined
the strategic prospects of the national space program. For resolving the national
and global tasks in space it is planned to develop the following space assets and
infrastructure elements:
 New generation spacecraft having the larger on-board power capacity and
longer lifetime and using the new information exchange wavebands and
processing principles;
 High attitude/high inclination multipurpose space station for monitoring and
research of larger part of the Earth surface, including Russia’s northern
regions;
 New generation reusable space transportation system allowing significantly
increasing of the space transportation efficiency and safety;
 Moon exploration and future Mars mission infrastructure and enabling
systems.
For the time being neither of these projects is finally defined time and priority
wise. However, there is a large reserve right now. During the
Salyut/Almaz/Mir/Mir-2/ISS programs the major issues are resolved concerning
the space stations’ development of different purposes and configuration. The works
have been carried out supporting the new generation reusable space system
creation. The Russian space firms had already submitted a number of proposals
concerning creation of the heavy space transportation means for the future
interplanetary missions, including Angara-7 and potentially retrievable Energia
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launch vehicles. Finally, for a long time since 1960’s Russian institutes and design
bureaus are actively investigating the issue of the Moon bases’ creation and
manned Mars accomplishment (Fig.8).
However, according to Roscosmos position announced at the International
Astronautical Congress, the main things are always staying in the Earth. All space
plans are effectively directed towards preserving and development of the
environment, quality of life increasing, global problems resolving and achieving
the new development horizons for the Earth civilization.
* * *
The space activity is Russia’s national pride and in the same time – the strong
fundament of the international cooperation. Our space program is counted among
the state top priorities, and – that is of the equal importance – Russia’s citizens
understand its immediate utility and the promising prospects. After all, the space is
a future for all humankind.
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