Overview
The early era of space exploration was driven by a space race between the Soviet Union and the United States; the launch of the first human object to orbit Earth, the USSR's Sputnik 1, on 4 October 1957, and the first Moon landing by the American Apollo 11 craft on 20 July 1969 are often taken as the boundary for this initial period. The Soviet Union achieved many of the first milestones, including putting the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin in 1961, and completing the first spacewalk in 1965. In 1971, the Soviets launched the first space station, Salyut 1.
The Soviet space programme was tied into the USSR's Five-Year Plans and from the start was reliant on support from the Soviet military. In January 1956, plans were approved for Earth-orbiting satellites to gain knowledge of the space environment (Sputnik) and for unmanned military reconnaissance satellites (Zenit), with development work for a manned Earth orbit flight by 1964 and an unmanned lunar mission at an earlier date. Following the global propaganda success of the first Sputnik, Korolyov was charged to accelerate the manned programme, the design of which was combined with the Zenit programme to produce the Vostok spacecraft.
The Soviet space programme finished as the Soviet Union fell apart. Russia decided to continue the space programme by creating the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RKA). The RKA used the technology and launch sites that belonged to the former Soviet space programme and centralised control of Russia's civilian space programme, including all manned and unmanned non-military space flights. The name was changed again in the 1990s to the Russian Federal Space Agency (now known as Roskosmos).
The 1990s saw a decreased cash flow, which encouraged Roskosmos to improvise and seek other ways to keep space programmes running. This resulted in Roskosmos's leading role in commercial satellite launches and space tourism. While scientific missions, such as interplanetary probes or astronomy missions during these years played a very small role, Roskosmos managed to operate the space station Mir well past its lifetime, contribute to the International Space Station, and continue to fly additional Soyuz and Progress missions.
As the Russian economy boomed in the new millennium, the outlook for future funding in 2006 appeared more favourable. This resulted in the Russian Duma approving a budget of 305 billion rubles (about 11 billion US dollars) for Roskosmos from 2006-2015, with overall space expenditures in Russia total about 425 billion rubles for the same time period. Under the current approved 10 year budget, the funds for the Roscosmos shall increase 5-10% per year, providing the space agency with a constant influx of money. In addition to the budget, Roskosmos plans to have over 130 billion rubles flowing into its budget by other means, such as industry investments and commercial space launches.
In 2007, Russia plans to launch some 20 space rockets under the federal space programme and military projects. Two launches of manned Soyuz craft and four launches of the Progress cargo craft are scheduled for 2007. Over 35 billion rubles will be allocated to implement space programmes in Russia in 2007. The intention is, by 2015, to have three to four major integrated structures in the space industry. Russia's current projects include modifications to the Soyuz launch vehicle and the Glonass system. Work is also under way on a 30-year development programme.
The following is the text of an article in the Russian military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda on 27 December: Click here for more information
Institutional relations and agreements
The Russian Federal Space (Roskosmos) is the government agency responsible for Russia's space science programme and general aerospace research.
In the Decree "On The Systems and Structure of Federal Bodies Representing Executive Power" of 9 March 2004, the Federal Space Agency became one of the 28 Federal Agencies, reporting directly to the Government. The Federal Space Agency's new ministerial status has helped to speed up the procedural tasks linked primarily to its international activities.
The Agency now has the right to hold direct negotiations and sign contracts with foreign partners, issue licenses for space activities and solve all the management issues concerning space-related enterprises and facilities without the intervention of the Ministry of Industry and Energy. The procedure for drafting government resolutions on launching Russian and foreign spacecraft has also been simplified.
In March 2004 General Anatoly Perminov, ex-commander of the Space Forces, was appointed Head of the FSA by the Prime Minister.
On 17 June 2004 the Russian Government approved the resolution on the Federal Space Agency. "The Agency will preserve the continuity of Russia's participation in developing the world space science," Anatoly Perminov told a government meeting.
Guiana Space Centre
Four Soyuz launch vehicles will be launched from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana starting in 2008.
Astrolab
The mission is covered by an agreement between ESA and the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos). The agreement, which covers the ESA astronaut's flight in a crew position originally planned for a Russian cosmonaut, is further supported by a tri-lateral understanding between ESA, Roscosmos and NASA.
ISRO
There are agreements between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) for launching of Russian navigation satellites, GLONASS-M, by a variant of the Indian Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). This agreement would facilitate launching of GLONASS-M type of satellites of Russia using the Indian GSLV. The two countries will also jointly develop GLONASS-K.
Industry
The Russian government is planning to increase the output of the country's space sector 2.8-3 times by 2015 as compared to 2004.
The programme envisages that the total output of products in this sector will increase 1.8 times by 2008, while the output of the industry's research and development organisations will see an increase of 1.7-1.9 times.
The new strategy provides for developing a space industrial complex that would meet all current demands and requirements of military security, and bring about the increase of the share of Russian companies in the world market of space products and services, as well as help retain scientific potential of the industry.
To this end, there are plans to reform the organisational structure of the industry and form 10 or 11 horizontally and vertically integrated enterprises, including diversified innovative mergers, manufacturing all required models of space equipment and providing all kinds of space services. The enterprises that would not be included into the mergers should be further reformed with the aim to improve their effectiveness, stability and competitiveness.
Russia and the IAF
Russian members of the IAF can be accessed via the links on the left.
Russia and COPUOS
Outer Space Treaty
Status: Ratified
Depository: London (Signature: 27 January 1967, Party 10 October 1967)
Depository: Moscow (Signature: 27 January 1967, Party 10 October 1967)
Depository: Washington (Signature: 27 January 1967, Party 10 October 1967)
Rescue Agreement
Status: Ratified
Depository: London (Signature: 22 April 1968, Party 3 December 1968)
Depository: Moscow (Signature: 22 April 1968, Party 3 December 1968)
Depository: Washington (Signature: 22 April 1968, Party 3 December 1968)
Liability Convention
Status: Ratified
Depository: London (Signature: 29 March 1972, Party 9 October 1973)
Depository: Moscow (Signature: 29 March 1972, Party 9 October 1973)
Depository: Washington (Signature: 29 March 1972, Party 9 October 1973)
Registration Convention
Status: Ratified
Depository: UN (Signature: 17 June 1975, Party 13 January 1978)
Moon agreement
Status: Non-party
Russia is active participant in the international space arena. Russian space professionals participate in numerous specialist and political forums, such as the United Nations Committee on the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
Recommending links and further reading
Overview of US-Russia cooperation
Le programme spatial russe (in French)
The map above shows the location of IAF members within Russia along with the locations of Star City and the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
