Rogozin skeptical about 'sect of Elon Musk's witnesses'
MOSCOW. Dec 31 (Interfax) - Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin said he is skeptical about the exaltation that some Russians feel about Elon Musk's and Jeff Bezos's projects.
"I've spoken skeptically not about Musk's and Bezos's activities but about the childish exaltation that the members of that sect of Elon's Witnesses feel. About those who clearly exaggerate Musk's achievements or extol them to belittle our Russian companies," Rogozin said in an interview shown on the Rossiya-24 (VGTRK) television channel.
"This endless admiration of everything that comes from the West in a nice wrapping - this is what we certainly don't like," Rogozin said.
He reiterated that he himself treats SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk's and Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos's activities "with great respect."
However, Roscosmos doesn't turn every space launch into a show, "although perhaps this should be done," he said.
"Frankly speaking, everyone should do what they are supposed to do. The preparation of a launch campaign and the launch itself is colossal stress, and therefore, I'll tell you honestly, we simply have no time for music. But if someone does this around the industry, we won't object," he said.
Rogozin also doubted the feasibility of building reusable rocket stages in Russia, even though "this is an extremely beautiful spectacle."
"Why the Americans try to reuse rockets - because the engines are expensive. But it's we who build engines, and they come cheaper to us," he said.
"We don't count every kopeck, after all, we are on an open market," he said.