OREANDA-NEWS. June 17, 2009. Russia`s position on the issues regarding space exploration is in strict compliance with the principles of the international space law based on execution of key international space treaties and agreements that define general rights and obligations of the states in the exploration and use of outer space and celestial bodies.

On this basis, the question of territorial space division shall be examined in the context of reaching the consensus between the states and concluding the international treaties within the scope of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

No successfull achievement in space exploration can create exclusive rights that would provide grounds for the application sovereign title of the states to the Moon or its areas.

The territorial space division is dangerous and inadmissible not only for Russia but also for other countries in the world since it may result in complete impossibility of activities in outer space.
  
Ambitions of Russia in outer space development

Today Russia is one of a few countries in the world possessing unique rocket and space industry and space potential that allow to solve problems related to improvement of rocket and space equipment and construction of space vehicles for the purposes of social and economic development of the country, science and international cooperation, and a guaranteed access and necessary presence of Russia in outer space.

Since 2006, our country has held the leading positions in the number of carrier rocket launches from its space launching sites. Russia`s share in the world annual amount of launches is 40%.

The launch of “Resurs-DK”, state-of-the-art earth remote sensing space vehicle with optic air-borne equipment, providing up to 1 m ground resolution, has become an important achievement in the Russian space science. The vehicle, put into service, registers natural resources and provides monitoring for the purposes of forest and fish industries, develops satellite image database and accomplishes other tasks.

Major part of the operations on manufacturing “Kanopus-V”, “Meteor-M”, and “Electro-L” space vehicles have been already performed. These spacecraft are intended to extend Russian remote sensing orbital constellation. The launch and comissioning of these satellites planned in 2009 will provide the opportunity to effectively detect catastrophic events and accidents, timely warn about forest fires, supply the meteorological services with all necessary data related to conditions of atmosphere, ice cover, etc.

For years, Russia has been developing international cooperation on implementation of new space technologies during the flights of “Foton-M” space vehicle for experiments with the manufacturing of new materials in microgravity conditions possessing unique properties as compared with their Earth analogues. The program is realized with the participation of ESA members such as Germany, France, Sweden and other countries.

The flight of “Foton-M” ¹3 space laboratory was successfully realized in autumn of 2007. Both Russian and European researchers specializing in material science, biotechnology, zero-gravity physics, and in the problems of space vehicle service system improvement laid great hopes on the flight of this vehicle.

There were 26 scientific on-board apparatuses, including 10 Russian units, installed on board. There were 105 scientific experiments conducted in total, 37 of which were European, 59 - Russian, 2 - Chinese, and 7 - Russian-European.

Russian space systems of communications, broadcasting and relay on the basis of “Express”, a new generation space vehicle series, also develop dynamically. In 2008-2009, new “Express-AM33”, “Express-AM44” and “Express-MD” vehicles joined this orbit group.

We have started the works on creation of next-generation space means for different applications. These include the retranslation system “Luch” and personal satellite communication and data transmission system “Gonets”.

Within the scope of fundamental space research program, the Russian scientists continue working with “Konus-A” apparatus installed on board of Wind, an American space vehicle, “Rome-Pamela”, space station complex of “Resurs-DK” space vehicle with the following apparatus for atmospheric research of planets: OMEGA and SPICA-M devices on board of the European space vehicle Mars-Express and SPICA-V device on board of the European station “Venus-Express”.

The main works on the manufacturing of Spektr-R and Spektr-RG astrophysical observatories have been accomplished. The works on the creation of Fobos-Ground interplanar station, the application of which needs no further explanations, are being actively carried out.

In January 2009, Koronas-Foton space vehicle was placed in orbit. Coronas (Complex circumterrestrial orbit observations of the Sun activity) is the Russian program for research of physics of the Sun and connections between the Earth and the Sun by means of a space vehicle series which includes the placement of three Sun-oriented satellites in circumterrestrial orbit). Coronas-Foton is the third vehicle in this series. Two other satellites of the program were “Coronas-F” and “Coronas-I”.

The works on the program of the International Space Station are continued. In 2006-2008, the crews conducted multiple experiments within the Russian scientific program in such areas as space technologies, geophysics, medicine and biology, and fundamental research. Maintenance and repair of on-board systems and equipment of the station are performed. Today Russia plays the key role in ensuring of the International Space Station functioning, and delivery of crews and freight thereto. The decisions, made for the purpose of development of the Russian segment in the International Space Station, will allow to transform it into a unique Russian on-orbit research and production complex. We continue to consistently support the proposal of extension of the International Space Station service life after 2015.

By the decision of the President of Russia, we started to implement a large project of new space launching site development in the east of our country.

The revised variant of the 2006-2015 Federal Space Program of Russia, aimed at realization of challenging tasks, is currently being examined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Its approval will ensure the full realization of tasks related to the development of personal satellite communication system included in 24 “Gonets-M” space vehicles, space retranslation system on the basis of “Luch” space vehicle, pilot-controlled transportation system of new generation, primary objects at the space launching site in the east of the country, racket carrier of new generation “Rus-M” operating on ecologically clean fuel components, the Moon research complex (“Luna-Resurs” project) and many others.

It is planned to fully implement the Russian segment of the International Space Station consisting of eight modules by 2015 and ensure the full performance of international obligations on transport and technological supply of the Station.

Prospects
In 2007-2008, the Government of the country approved the documents defining the medium term and long-term prospects of national space exploration. “The system of views on independent activities of Russia in outer space from its territory in the entire spectrum of current tasks to 2040” and “The basis of the RF policy on space activities to 2020 and thereafter” are the documents that bind the national space industry to start the implementation of new and challenging space projects, such as, for example, the creation of new generation manned transportation system and the means for research of the Moon, the Mars, and other planets and objects in the Universe.

Acting within the scope of the Federal Space Program, we ensure a reliable functioning and further development of orbit groups of scientific, social and economic use, and development of pilot-controlled space projects.
The orbit group of GLONASS navigation system, developed within the scope of the corresponding Federal Target Program, now consists of 20 space vehicles, including 1 “Glonass” space vehicle and 19 “Glonass-M” vehicles.
It is planned to further expand this group:
To 30 “Glonass-M” space vehicles by 2011,

To 30 space vehicles, including 15 “Glonass-M” and 15 “Glonass-K” space vehicles with increased service life and enhanced performance characteristics by 2015.

One of the most preferable forms of interaction between the space industry and the private sector of national economy is the establishment of state-private partnerships for implementation of space programs. The project defining the directions of commercial use of GLONASS system was approved in spring of 2007. The program of remote Earth sensing based on non-budget investments and state-private partnership suggests to include a series of space systems and apparatuses into the orbit group such as “Kondor-E” space radar observation system, “Smotr” space system for application in gas and oil industry, as well as a multifunctional space system “Arktika” and industry-specific system for monitoring of agricultural activities. We welcome the participation of our foreign colleagues in the development of state-private partnership, a new form of relationships for our country, for maintaining of space activities.

Our main task in pilot-controlled space exploration consists of completion of building of the Russian segment at the International Space Station and enhancement of its application study and use. Simultaneously, we make assessment of possibility and necessity of further use of the International Space Station to 2020. By this year, we plan to create a new orbit infrastructure, pilot-controlled assembling and experimental complex. Its availability will ensure the continuity of pilot-controlled space exploration. Besides, this complex will be used as a technical basis for preparation of expeditionary complexes for flights beyond the near space.

It should be noted that the realization of large space projects connected with pilot-controlled flights is the key question in defining of contents of the Russian space activities. It becomes obvious today that space projects of the ÕÕI century need scalability, which may not be provided by near space. The vector of further research of outer space persists in the direction of the Moon and the Mars. This is confirmed by the position of the leading space powers in the world as they actively declare their interests in research of the Moon and more remote objects, and national space programs and plans connected with this task. For example, one of strategic objectives of NASA program documents for 2006-2015 consists of the project of returning to the Moon with a maximum possible amount of structural elements that may be used during the flights to the Moon and other space objects. Several European countries, as well as China, India and Japan develop the programs of their own participation in the research of the Moon (by means of automatic space complexes at the initial stage).

We also develop a terrestrial space infrastructure for further use. The Government of the country decided to create a new site for launching of space vehicles for social, economic and scientific purposes in the eastern part of Russia. The need to build a new racket carrier of medium class and increased loading capacity was defined on the basis of detailed projections of space tasks in the system project of the new space launching site. This carrier will also put a Russian pilot-controlled vehicle in orbit in the future.

Russia, being open to cooperation in space, considers that the interaction with its strategic partners is the basic condition for further realization of its programs of the peaceful exploration and use of outer space.