The president has outlined plans for a national project to expand deep space research and develop new technologies
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed the importance of upholding the country’s status as a leading space nation, calling for an expansion of Russia’s capabilities and advances in deep space research.
Speaking at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University on Wednesday, Putin announced a long-term strategy for space development, including full-scale support for nuclear-powered systems, satellite industries, and scientific missions beyond Earth’s orbit.
Here are the main takeaways from his speech:
Legacy of space pioneers
Putin opened his speech by congratulating the audience on national Cosmonautics Day, celebrated on April 12. He recalled that people such as Yuri Gagarin – the first man in space – and other Soviet pioneers of the space industry set a high bar for the country, and that Russia must live up to its historic status.
“There are serious, fundamental traditions here,” Putin said. “Our plans must match our historic role as a leading spacefaring nation.”
National space project across all sectors
Putin called for a significant increase in the potential of domestic cosmonautics so that it becomes a “flagship, one of the key driving forces of our national development, technological renewal of the economy, and improvement of the quality of life of citizens.”
He stressed the importance of developing a unified national space project, the idea of which was brought up in October 2023. The plan is expected to cover the most important areas for Russia, such as creating its own multi-satellite constellations, a national orbital station, and programs for the exploration of deep space.
The president noted that the project will be approved in the near future and that its financing will be included in the federal budget for 2026 and subsequent years.
Industry of space services
Putin stated that clear investment guidelines must be set out for technology companies and that an entire industry of space services must be established by 2030, which would include communication, navigation, and receiving and analyzing satellite data.
In order to achieve this, the president stressed the importance of providing support to domestic universities, research organizations, design bureaus, and private companies which are already working on solutions for multi-satellite constellations and creating new methods of mathematical modeling, data processing, optical equipment, and technologies aimed at reducing the cost of space launches.
Nuclear space power capability
Putin called for further progress on electric propulsion and space nuclear energy systems, which he said are essential for long-range missions and autonomous operations.
The president noted Russia’s “undisputed leadership” in this area and insisted that it must continue to grow through the use of modern material and technologies to build upon past achievements.
He recalled historical Soviet systems that have already been operated in orbit, and proposed to modernize them in order to develop “a space system equipped with a specialized power station, along with the so-called space tug, a transport and energy module based on a nuclear-powered propulsion system” .
“These are not distant-future tasks. Leading space powers are already working on this,” Putin noted.
Deep space missions and planetary research
Putin stated that fundamental research in deep space must be another crucial component of the national space project. He noted that one of the brightest examples of Russia’s progress in this domain has been deployment of the Spektr-RG orbital observatory – a space laboratory that has been producing a detailed map of the universe.
The president also recalled that Russia has “unique research schools” studying the Moon, Mars, and other planets, as well as unmatched technologies, such as those that were used for the Soviet spacecraft landings on Venus.
“[This] has not been recreated or copied anywhere in the world to this day,” Putin said, noting Venus’s extreme 500-degree surface temperature.
Linking space to national goals
The president stated that the national space project is intended to become a cross-cutting, integral part of all national projects and to accelerate the practical implementation of new technologies.
These include the transmission of information using quantum and photonic technologies, development of robotics, advanced materials, microelectronics, bio- and medical technologies, and the creation and deployment of unmanned systems.
“Space projects are always complex and require significant financial investments, but they are vitally necessary for Russia as a large and sovereign country, if we want to remain such and continue to develop in this capacity,” the president said.
Openness to international partnerships
Putin reiterated that Russia is ready to cooperate with other nations in the sphere of space and stated that national technological achievements, particularly in the field of deep space exploration, can become “our very significant contribution to international programs.”