The route will be built: Putin listed the key tasks of the new national space project

A new national project for the development of the space industry will be approved in the very near future.: Its most important focus will be the fundamental exploration of deep space, as well as ensuring high-quality development in the field of nuclear space energy. Vladimir Putin stated this on April 16 at a meeting on this topic at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Here he also visited a new complex of dormitories for students and talked with students. In particular, they were concerned about the international partnership in the space sector and the plans of the Russian Federation for the development of distant frontiers. What space projects is Russia currently focused on and to whom Vladimir Putin compared Elon Musk — in the Izvestia article.

Who does the Russian Federation cooperate with in the space industry

On April 16, Vladimir Putin arrived at one of Russia's oldest higher technical educational institutions, the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, founded in 1830. First, the head of state inspected several university facilities, in particular, the new complex of dormitories "Spektr" and "Strela". In total, up to 2.3 thousand people can be accommodated there, while about 850 have settled there. The Head of State inspected the rooms for students, including those with disabilities. In addition to residential premises, there are coworking spaces, halls for individual work, music classes and rehearsal rooms, and rooms for a cluster of creative industries.

Then Vladimir Putin talked with the students. The guys were confident in front of the president. They proudly told the head of state about themselves and their projects, but they were more concerned about the fate of international space programs, given that the Russian Federation had been actively working with Europe until recently. International cooperation in the space sector is really important, which is why Moscow is actively cooperating with its partners, Vladimir Putin replied. He also spoke about Russia's plans for cooperation in the field of space: for example, Russia is actively working with China and the rest of the BRICS countries. As for the Europeans, they themselves refused to work together. At the same time, it is coming from the USA: Roscosmos is in contact with NASA, the head of state added.

By the way, Russian equipment is still used at European stations and facilities, including for studying Mars. This area remains one of the most important for the Russian Federation, the president recalled. According to Vladimir Putin, expeditions to Mars are a grandiose task, which requires solving a number of issues.: This is an opportunity for a long and safe stay of a person in deep space, the development of new ways of transmitting information, and the provision of energy for future objects, including those that humanity plans to implement in relation to Mars.

— You know, there is a man who lives in the States, Musk, who, one might say, is delusional about Mars. Such people rarely appear in the human population, charged with a certain idea. If it seems incredible even today, then after a while such ideas are often realized. Just as the ideas of the same Korolev, our pioneers, were implemented at the time, it seemed incredible — some of the plans they made. But everything was being implemented," the president stressed.

Earlier, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for investment and economic cooperation, said that Roscosmos was considering cooperation with Elon Musk on the issue of flights to Mars.

On April 16, Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the Kurchatov Institute National Research Center (NRC), told the President during his visit to the Bauman Moscow State Technical University about the technologies needed to conquer deep space. According to him, Russia surpasses the United States in the technology of creating nuclear reactors powered by hydrogen. This is enough to create an interplanetary tugboat. In addition, Mikhail Kovalchuk proposed a new "atomic space project 2.0" with an emphasis on the independence of the Russian Federation in near-Earth space. "If we take near—Earth space, we have everything in it - we are absolutely out of competition. We need to create a pre-planetary hub station in order to explore the moon," he said.

During his visit to the university, Vladimir Putin also supported the idea of student internships at the Vostochny and Baikonur cosmodromes and called for the extension of the program under which students of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University create spacecraft for studying space weather. At the end of the conversation, the president was presented with a helmet with the signatures of the heads and the best students of the university. They are traditionally awarded to graduates.

— When students of our university defend their diploma, they wear a white helmet to confirm that they are proud of their status and qualifications as an engineer. After that, they collect signatures from their loved ones, beloved teachers, and mentors who accompanied them in student life," Dmitry Sulegin, Vice Rector for Educational Work, told Izvestia.

Putin made a reciprocal gesture and signed on a clean helmet, which will remain in the university as a souvenir.

What will be included in the new national space development project

The head of state immediately instructed all the students' proposals to be taken into account at a meeting on the development of space activities, which was also held at Bauman. Vladimir Putin believes that the contribution of young people to the development of the industry should increase. Moreover, Bauman Moscow State Technical University continues to multiply the best traditions of personnel training, since among the graduates of the legendary university there is a whole galaxy of famous cosmonauts, outstanding scientists and designers. The President recalled that Soviet engineer Sergei Korolev was once a student at this university.

— He not only studied here, but also designed a model of a light-engine aircraft as a thesis. And then, as you know, three decades later, together with a team of like-minded people, he ensured the primacy of our country in space. So the traditions here are so serious and fundamental," Vladimir Putin drew attention.

Russia's plans in this area should be consistent with its historical status as an advanced space power. The President also drew attention to the need to increase the potential of the Russian space industry. In particular, Russia's leadership in the use of nuclear power plants in space needs to be increased.

— Nuclear power plants created by Soviet scientists have already been operated in orbit. And at the present stage, taking into account advanced materials and new technologies, qualitatively different, fundamentally new, great opportunities open up for the implementation of such complex projects," the president stressed.

Back in March, at a meeting with the head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Bakanov, Vladimir Putin discussed the fate of a new national project. According to him, it will be approved in the very near future. The national project will cover all the most important areas for Russia: from the creation of its own multi-satellite groups for various purposes and a national orbital station to deep space exploration programs. It should accelerate the practical implementation of many fundamentally new technical solutions, including information transfer using quantum and photonic technologies, the development of robotics, advanced materials, microelectronics, bio- and medical technologies, the creation and deployment of unmanned systems, the president explained.

— Fundamental deep space exploration should become the most important area of the national project for the development of space activities. Russia has serious reserves here, and significant programs have been launched. First of all, it is the Spektr-RV orbital observatory, a real space laboratory that makes a detailed map of the universe," the head of state noted.

The new national project will also include tasks to ensure high-quality development in the field of nuclear space energy: the creation of electric jet engines and other systems necessary for autonomous operation in various space objects. The program will also include providing support to universities, research organizations, design bureaus and private companies that develop multi-satellite systems. Such a large amount of work is explained by the fact that the development of space technologies today is simply impossible without powerful scientific support, says Alexander Mazhuga, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education.

— Among the most promising potential areas of research, attention will be paid to the creation of new generations of engines powered by nuclear energy. Deep space exploration, and our country has such ambitious plans, is impossible without powerful and long-running units," the deputy told Izvestia.

Another topic is the creation of new structural materials for aviation and astronautics. They should ensure the long-term presence of vehicles in space, but also protect people in the case of manned programs, the deputy concluded.

Space projects require significant costs, but they are vital for Russia as a large and sovereign country. To resolve this issue, it is important to identify clear, stable sources of financing for the Russian space program. "Because our development for decades ahead depends on what we do in the space sector in the coming years," the head of state concluded.