Russian space station to be open to int'l partners - first deputy PM

MUMBAI. Nov 11 (Interfax) - The Russian space station has a national status, however, international cooperation is possible in this project, including with India, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said.

"We have decided to start deploying a new Russian space station in 2027. The station is due to have open architecture. Although the station has a national status, the project allows for international cooperation, including that with our reliable partner, India," Manturov told the press during his visit to India.

"We are also implementing the project of the international lunar research station. Same as the Russian space station, this project is open to all interested partners," he said.

Russia plans to build a national space station as a replacement for the International Space Station. Its deployment will start with launching a research-and-energy module in 2027. Node and airlock modules will be launched at the first stage before 2030, to be followed by the launch of a base module to operate the station. The second stage envisages docking of two more modules between 2031 and 2033.

On May 13, Manturov said that the financing of the Russian space station project would begin in 2024. Roscosmos head Yury Borisov said in fall 2023 that the project would require about 150 billion rubles within the first three years, in 2024-2026.

On July 24, Borisov said that Russia was offering BRICS to build a special module for the Russian space station where BRICS members could conduct their research. Roscosmos Deputy General Director for International Cooperation Sergei Savelyev said on August 14 that the corporation had not received a response from the countries invited to join the Russian space station project.

On July 2, Roscosmos said that contracts for building the Russian space station had been signed. It said that the overall financing would amount to 608.9 billion rubles.

In turn, Energia Corporation General Designer Vladimir Solovyov said the station could operate in orbit for over 50 years.

Russian Space Station General Designer Vladimir Kozhevnikov said that the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center had chosen the cosmonauts to be first to visit the Russian space station.