ISS partners agreed to design a lunar space station – News

Photo: REUTERS / Jim Young

Partners for the International Space Station have formed a scenario of creating an international lunar visited infrastructure (platforms ), which could be a first step towards the development of deep space. This “Izvestiya” reported in the Rocket and Space Corporation “Energia” (RKK “Energy” umbrella organization “Roscosmos” manned space flight on).

– started to discuss the potential appearance of the platform and the requirements for its elements and interface, – said Irina Romanova, head of the “Energy” press center. – It is expected that the proposals for the future program of the creation and operation of international lunar visited the platform will be presented to the heads of agencies – the ISS program partners in the first half of 2017

. Discussion of opportunities for cooperation in space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit partners in the ISS program began in 2011 as part of the expert working group under the ISS program (IEWG – ISS experts working group). In the fall of 2014, taking into account design study group IEWG heads of the agencies – the ISS partners signed a “study plan ISS opportunities for deep space exploration” for the implementation of which a working group was formed IECST

<. p class = "p2"> – IECST Group examines possible scenarios for the future of the international program, which would allow to work out the key elements and start the mission to study outer space in accordance with the national interests of the partners, which include the study of near-moon space , Moon and Mars and asteroids, – said Irina Romanova. – Panel concluded that the feasibility of establishing an international lunar visited the platform that would be the first step towards the development of deep space.

The program of the Moon – the strategic goal of the Russian manned space flight. In 2030-ies scheduled landing astronauts on the lunar surface, followed by the base of a lunar base. Designing a lunar base are engaged in the RSC “Energia” and TsNIIMASH.

Previously director of the manned program, “Roskosmos” Sergei Krikalev He said “Izvestia”, which base on the moon, it makes sense to do permanently inhabited, and orbit the moon base – visited only temporarily, since there is a much stronger level of radiation than the ISS

<. p class = "p2"> Supervisor space policy Institute, Ivan Moiseyev considers that the simultaneous establishment of a lunar space station and a lunar base – it malosovmestimymi problem

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– When we decided to build a lunar base, it is necessary to focus on it and the effort – says Moses. – The fact that the lunar orbital station is not very convenient as a transit hub – the Moon rotates slowly, and due to this station at the landing place on the base will be given every few weeks. Then the high levels of radiation often cause change crews lunar station. You can abandon the lunar station and deliver to the moon people and goods in the same way as did the Americans in the “Apollo” project: the ship goes to the correct orbit of the moon and from the undocks lander, which is then returned <. br />

TsNIIMASH experts are of the opinion that just on the Moon will be easier to organize the protection against radiation – for example, under the surface can be equipped with radiation asylum