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Russia Announces New $50 Billion Space Program

Russia Announces New $50 Billion Space Program
Michael Rundle
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Russia has announced a new $50 billion space programme.

In marking the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic first trip to space by a human in 1961, president Vladimir Putin said that Russia would reinforce its legacy by funding new missions to explore our solar system.

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Speaking at a ceremony from a new cosmodrome, which Russia is building in the far east of the country, Putin said:

"Developing our potential in space will be one of the priorities of state policy," he said.

"We need to preserve what we have achieved in manned space flight but also to catch up in these other areas [including unmanned space missions."

Despite the glory days of Gagarin's flight being firmly in the past, Russia still has an important role in space.

Many of its launches now involve sending astronauts to the International Space Station, for countries including the USA.

But Russia still launches all of its astronauts from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan - the same place from where Gagarin launched 52 years ago, and its space program has suffered the similar constraints to those felt by Nasa.

Putin said that from 2013 to 2020 Russia would spend at least $50 billion (1.6 trillion roubles) on space, and did not rule out the creation of a new Space Ministry.

The new launchpad will be operational by 2015, with the first manned launches in 2018.

It will be named the Tsiolkovsky cosmodrome, in honour of the Russian scientist who pioneered rocket design in the early days of its space program.

And Russia also has its sights set on the Moon - with the potential for a space station on our natural satellite to host launches to Mars by 2030.

"The moon is a great launch pad, it's basically a big space object on which a whole load of things could be accommodated. Not using it would be sinful," said the head of Russia's space agency Vladimir Popovkin.

UK From Space
Manchester(01 of25)
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"Manchester, England, home to two great football teams battling in the derby tonight. Who is your pick?" (credit:Chris Hadfield)
Liverpool(02 of25)
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"Liverpool on the Mersey, very bright on a clear coastal night." (credit:Chris Hadfield)
Birmingham(03 of25)
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"The lights of big cities near each other can be overwhelming - such as here, with Birmingham UK on the right." (credit:Chris Hadfield)
London to Newcastle(04 of25)
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"Tonight's Finale: Night wide angle from London to Newcastle to Wales. Sure can see where we choose to live" (credit:Chris Hadfield)
London(05 of25)
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"To commemorate the passing of the Iron Lady, in the centre of these London lights is #10 Downing Street." (credit:Chris Hadfield)
Bournemouth(06 of25)
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"Bournemouth, with Poole harbour and beaches on the south English coast." (credit:Chris Hadfield)
(07 of25)
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Oil drilling draws a circuit board on the ochre landscape. pic.twitter.com/piYgOCsWYQ
 (credit:Nasa/Cmdr Chris Hadfield)
(08 of25)
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Tonight's Finale: The Richat Structure. A giant gazing eye upon the Earth. pic.twitter.com/Uqv9JSh17b
 (credit:Nasa/Cmdr Chris Hadfield)
(09 of25)
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An angry thunderstorm stands out against infinity. pic.twitter.com/du78qXnViK
 (credit:Nasa/Cmdr Chris Hadfield)
(10 of25)
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Mt Etna, pouring heat and steam and smoke up through the snowcap. Earth never ceases to amaze. pic.twitter.com/xVjJ9oiwkW
 (credit:Nasa/Cmdr Chris Hadfield)
(11 of25)
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Cloud over western Europe, rippled like water over a stone. pic.twitter.com/nlryEezlwh
 (credit:Nasa/Cmdr Chris Hadfield)
(12 of25)
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Perth on the Swan to the sea, Western Australia. pic.twitter.com/MvrIuCs8eT
 (credit:Nasa/Cmdr Chris Hadfield)
Chris Hadfield In Water(13 of25)
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(credit:Nasa/Cmdr Chris Hadfield)
(14 of25)
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In this photo posted on Twitter by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on Jan. 7, 2013, the Greek Island of Corfu is shown. Hadfield is on a five-month visit to the space station and will become the first Canadian to take command of the giant orbiting laboratory in March. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press via NASA,Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
(15 of25)
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RE-TRANS FOR HIGHER RESOLUTION - This Tuesday Jan. 8, 2013 photo provided by NASA, taken by Astronaut Chris Hadfield from the International Space Station, shows a view of the wildfire near Burrinjuck Dam in Australia. Look closely and you can see the flames from orbit. (AP Photo/NASA, Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
(16 of25)
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In this photo posted on Twitter by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on Jan. 7, 2013, corn rows of sand, tightly sculpted by wind, heat and time is shown in Saudi Arabia. Hadfield is on a five-month visit to the space station and will become the first Canadian to take command of the giant orbiting laboratory in March. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press via NASA,Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
(17 of25)
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In this photo posted on Twitter by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on Jan. 6, 2013, a Noctilucent Cloud, a rare super high altitude cloud barely visible from Earth, is seen at dawn in the mesosphere from International Space Station. Hadfield is on a five-month visit to the space station and will become the first Canadian to take command of the giant orbiting laboratory in March. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press via NASA,Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
(18 of25)
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Newfoundland and Labrador, shot without zoom, is shown in a photo posted on Twitter by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on Jan. 7, 2013. Hadfield is on a five-month visit to the space station and will become the first Canadian to take command of the giant orbiting laboratory in March. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press via NASA,Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
(19 of25)
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In this photo posted on Twitter by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on Jan. 5, 2013, the cities of Cleveland, Toledo, Ohio, and Detroit are shown. Hadfield is on a five-month visit to the space station and will become the first Canadian to take command of the giant orbiting laboratory in March. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press via NASA,Chris Hadfield) (AP Photo/The Canadian Press via NASA,Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
(20 of25)
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This photo, taken by Astronaut Chris Hadfield from the International Space Station, Tuesday Jan. 8, 2013 shows a view of the wildfires in Australia. (AP Photo/NASA, Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
(21 of25)
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In this photo posted on Twitter by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on Jan. 7, 2013, the Greek Island of Corfu is shown. Hadfield is on a five-month visit to the space station and will become the first Canadian to take command of the giant orbiting laboratory in March. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press via NASA,Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
(22 of25)
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Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield holds a Toronto Maple Leafs sign on a photo posted to his Twitter account on Jan. 6, 2013. Professing his support for Toronto did not sit well with a number of hockey fans. Hadfield is on a five-month visit to the space station and will become the first Canadian to take command of the giant orbiting laboratory in March. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press via NASA,Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
Chris Hadfield(23 of25)
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Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield waves goodbye at the end of a news conference from the International Space Station on a photograph taken from a television monitor Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013 in St-Hubert, Quebec, Canada. Hadfield is on a five-month visit to the space station and will become the first Canadian to take command of the giant orbiting laboratory in March. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson) (credit:AP)
(24 of25)
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This photo, taken by Astronaut Chris Hadfield from the International Space Station, Tuesday Jan. 8, 2013 shows a view of the wildfire near Burrinjuck Dam in Australia. Look closely and you can see the flames from orbit. (AP Photo/NASA, Chris Hadfield) (credit:AP)
Thomas Marshburn, Roman Romanenko, Chris Hadfield.(25 of25)
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The International Space Station (ISS) crew members, from left: Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, U.S. astronaut Thomas Marshburn and Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield speak with relatives after putting on their space suits at the Baikonur cosmodrome Kazakhstan Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012. (AP Photo/ Shamil Zhumatov, pool) (credit:AP)

Putin also engaged in a live chat with the crew of the International Space Station.

Canadian astronaut and ISS Commander Chris Hadfield said that he hoped Russia's program would lead to greater international cooperation in space, saying exploration was "about the future of mankind" not nation states.

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