The Pentagon is trying to artificially limit the use of Russian launch vehicles on the international market, Roscosmos said, adding that the ban will negatively affect the whole industry of commercial space launches. The agency could join NASA on another space agency contemplating a medium-lift rocket launches and satellite services starting from 2023.
A person who appointed to lead Roscosmos, according to multiple media reports – Dmitry Rogozin, who used to be the Russian government “point-man” for the defense and space industries, as Space News put it. He added that U. S. hasn’t have “too much angst” about Rogozin’s past comments about NASA, because the Russian and US space programs have continued cooperating for the past four years despite their disagreements over Crimea. Putin said Russia’s rocket and space industry “is currently overly reliant on budgetary funds”, and should “focus on ways to diversify its output”.
Orbital ATK prepares for the second round of commercial cargo contracts to supply the International Space Station, and it intends to upgrade its Antares 230 rocket to provide more lift. NASA officials have played up the expertise Russian scientists bring to this project, having built the Mir space station.
Image Credits: Reuters / Sergei Karpuckhin
