Vladimir Putin says many countries eager to cooperate with Russia in space industry

Vladimir Putin with students of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University.
Photo: Krimlin.ru

Russia is an attractive international partner in space exploration as it has laid good groundwork since the last century for exploring deep space, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with students of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University on Wednesday.

One of the students told the Russian leader that he was studying plasma propulsion engines and, like many other Bauman University students, he was very much inspired by deep space exploration.

"It seems to me that plasma propulsion units will make this process much quicker and more energy efficient," the student said, asking the president about whether the Russian state would support this sphere and develop international cooperation in the coming years.

The Russian president said in response that such ideas had originated back in the 1960s and Russia had laid good groundwork in this field.

"And, of course, when we talk about deep space, we look attractive for our potential partners also because we have the relevant technological potential," he explained.

Russia is a leader in this sphere, Putin stressed.

"However, we could have done and should have practically accomplished much more than we have done until now," he said. "We could have done this, if we had worked more purposefully on this issue."

This field is very promising "from the standpoint of transportation and the standpoint of moving objects and from the standpoint of energy sources for implementing the projects related to deep space," the Russian leader said.

"Without this, deep space exploration is hardly possible and this is our competitive advantage," Putin stressed.

Many countries, including members of the BRICS group, are interested in collaborating with Russia in space, President Vladimir Putin stated during a meeting with a group of students, TASS reports.

"As for cooperation with other countries, such as the United States, it continues," Putin remarked. "The International Space Station has been established and is operational. There are various ideas about how it should conclude its work and what our next steps will be. However, our efforts will certainly continue, including with new partners," he assured.

Putin emphasized that Russia and China have "major plans - interesting, ambitious, and grandiose."

"In general, we are also collaborating with the BRICS countries, including India, South Africa, and Brazil," he added.

Putin said that Roscosmos is in touch with NASA.

"This cooperation does not stop. It cannot stop, because so many countries are interested. Especially since we were and still are leaders in many areas. So, we are of interest to our partners," Putin summarized.

Russia and the US continue to cooperate in outer space no matter what, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with university students.

"Cooperation in space goes on with the Americans. Despite everything, it all continues, but the Europeans have decided to go for a suspension. It is their choice," he said.

The Russian leader reminded the students of a historical fact that marked the beginning of the US-Russia space partnership.

"The first docking happened in 1975, between Soyuz 19 and Apollo. It is when the cooperation started, which later resulted in the International Space Station. This work continues," Putin said. "The Soyuz-Apollo docking <...> there was a very interesting moment there. Maybe you know about it. If not, I will tell you. It was planned that the docking would take place over Moscow. In fact, it actually took place over the Elbe. Exactly 30 years before, Soviet and American troops met there, delivering a final blow to Nazi Germany. So exactly 30 years later, in 1975, Apollo and Soyuz docked right above the Elbe.".

Vladimir Putin likened US entrepreneur Elon Musk to Soviet rocket engineer Sergei Korolev and said such people are not born very often.

"You know, there's a man – he lives in the States – Musk, who, one might say, raves about Mars. It is not often that such people, charged with a certain idea, appear in the human population. If even it seems incredible to me today, after a while such ideas often materialize. Just like in their time the ideas of Korolev, our other pioneers, got to materialize. They seemed incredible - some of the plans they made. But they all materialized," he said at the meeting with university students.

"A mission to Mars would be very hard. It now seems very difficult to implement. If you take an interest in this, you probably know," Putin went on to say.

European countries have halted space cooperation with Russia, but continue to use Russian equipment, proof of its great value and efficacy, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with students.

"In spite of the fact that our European partners stopped cooperating with us, essentially halting everything, nevertheless, Russian equipment is still functioning at their stations and facilities, including, I think, in Mars research. You get the picture," the Russian leader said.

Putin stressed that the equipment is being used even today. "This shows how valuable it is for them. They scrapped cooperation but did not remove the equipment. The equipment is working," he stated.

That said, the Russian head of state reiterated that given how complicated space technologies can be, cooperation becomes all the more important. "Every millimeter is brimming with ideas, filled with modern technologies. Back in the day, the Soviet Union, and then Russia, engaged in active interaction with its partners and until recently, we had been working with the Europeans," Putin emphasized, reiterating that cooperation was suspended at the initiative of the Europeans themselves.

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