RUSSIA’S NEW SPACE PROGRAM: SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE AMID BUDGET CUTS
Russian infographic showing ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter developed by Roscosmos and ESA. Credit: RIA Novosti
The Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, has
stated its intent to search for extraterrestrial life despite losing 35
percent of its budget. According to a draft of the federal space
program’s goals for 2016-2025 that was made public on Thursday, April
23, Russia plans to launch several spacecraft designed to find alien
life. The project includes sending satellites and interplanetary
missions to Mars and Earth’s moon. The announcements come at a time when
Russia’s space efforts come into doubt as the nation faces an economic
crisis.
Taking into account the state of the economy and the political
situation, the reduction of the state program’s financing and the
increased cost of works, the budgetary requirements for Russia’s Federal Space Program (FSP)
through 2025 will be approximately 2 trillion rubles ($37 billion). The
program is expected to be submitted to the government by June 10, 2015.
