Russia unveils space plans: Satellite constellations, lunar missions
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Russia's space agenda includes launching a manned mission to the Moon, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said.
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First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov pictured at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 6, 2024 (Kommersant)
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov told Sputnik on Saturday that Russia aims to explore new frontiers and uphold its status as a leading spacefaring nation, prioritizing the production and launch of satellites to establish orbital constellations.
"The goal is to keep up and try to reach new frontiers ... Unfortunately, we are not the first in terms of orbital constellations — in communication satellites and Earth remote sensing. We need to produce and launch them very intensively today, creating and building up these groupings," Manturov said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
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The official noted the challenge of the state independently developing orbital constellations and mentioned the reliance on private sector initiatives, which they are prepared to back. He further stressed the necessity for Russia to establish its own space orbital station to uphold its leadership in space exploration.
Manturov also mentioned that Russia's space agenda includes launching a manned mission to the Moon.
"[Russian state space corporation] Roscosmos has a program, and we are following it, another point is that the directions that I have just voiced [on satellites], are not only strategic in nature but also a priority," he added.
In April, Manturov disclosed that Russia's domestic orbital group already consists of over 240 satellites, with plans for another 100 to be launched before the year's end. Meanwhile, Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov projected that by 2030, the country will deploy a satellite constellation comprising approximately 1,700 satellites, with 40% of them being produced by private Russian firms.
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In August 2023, Borisov announced the launch of two Luna spacecraft in 2027 and 2028. Additionally, after 2030, the launch of Luna-28 is planned.
At that time, Borisov noted that this would mark a transition to "a new phase": Roscosmos, together with colleagues from China, intends to work on a program for a manned lunar visit and the construction of a lunar base.
