MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrey Kislyakov.) Russia's Federal Space Program for 2006-2015 is expected to be officially approved this August.
In an interview, the head of the Federal Space Agency, Anatoly Perminov, described the national space industry's goals and main areas of work.
Question: What major goals is the FSA pursuing in its Federal Space Program?
Answer: The Federal Space Agency is a federal executive body, and it is in charge of Russia's space exploration efforts. This goal determines the tasks that we solve, both short- and long-term. The Federal Space Program recently approved by the government for the next ten years describes these tasks in clear terms.
The priority task is to create or restore the orbital group of space vehicles for all systems, primarily communications, remote surveying of the Earth, and meteorology.
Today Russia's orbital group is incomplete, and its operation is far from perfect. All countries are working to increase their orbital groups.
Long-term tasks include space exploration, including deep space, and manned flights. We believe that international cooperation is absolutely essential for long-term projects.
Q.: What does the new program say about interplanetary research?
A.: In the next ten years we are planning to do some research on the Moon and Mars.
Next year the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems will start the ground-based "Mars-500" experiment with a thorough research program. We hope to have an international crew of six who will simulate a flight to the Mars during 500 days. We have sent invitations to all those countries that can participate at this level.
First, we will practice the mission on the ground. Secondly, we have planned a mission to Phobos, a Mars satellite, before 2015. This will be an automatic flight to test the take-off and landing systems, and to bring back a sample of Phobos' soil.
As for the Moon, we plan to prepare a manned flight to it on a par with the Americans, who proposed it.
Q.: What can you say about the Kliper, the model of which was first shown at Le Bourget?
A.: Indeed, our Kliper evoked a lot of interest at Le Bourget, much to our own surprise, to be honest. A full-scale model will be shown at the upcoming MAKS international air and space show in the Moscow-region town of Zhukovsky.
The Kliper is being developed as a reusable manned vehicle, as distinct from the Soyus spaceship, which we consider obsolescent despite thorough modernization.
We want to build a ship with a huge carrying capacity that could take on board a crew of at least six rather than three: A commander, flight engineer, and four passengers, a tourist or a foreign researcher. We plan to use this vehicle for the International Space Station, and an upgraded version for interplanetary flights.
We are trying to choose the best landing option between a winged version for landing at first-class airports, and a winged-parachute one. In any event the future option will be different from the current one, because we want to develop a reusable spacecraft for about 24 flights. At the same time we will provide shuttle-class amenities for the crew, high reliability, and enhanced carrying capacity.
Q.: What will happen to the ISS if the United States discontinues its involvement, say, because of snags with shuttles?
A.: I'd like to emphasize once again that international cooperation is crucial for the future of space exploration. The Americans have not refused to work on the ISS. At the same time, it is true that we had to use our Soyuz spacecraft at the ISS because the American shuttles did not fly there.
If the U.S. does not resume its shuttle flights, the five countries will get together and decide what to do next, and how to build the program for the future. Under the current program we have commitments to the Americans until February 2006. After this they will have to pay to send their astronauts to space.
But I'm sure that shuttle flights will go on, and the Americans will be able to honor their commitments for the delivery of huge cargoes to the ISS.
Most of these loads are already at the Cape Canaveral space center. I'm convinced that our partners will resolve the predicament and deliver these loads.
