Russia to Explore the Moon sans US Assistance; to Launch Moon Exploration Satellites
MOSCOW, May 29, 2007 - Satnews Daily - Russia will send robot probes to the Moon in the next decade but will not participate in any manned lunar exploration program initiated by the US. Russia said it intends to consider lunar cooperation ventures only after 2015.
Russia will, however, assist the US Space Shuttle program until 2015. It will also assist India and China in their lunar research programs since both Asian countries intend to send probes to the Moon. China has announced it would launch its first lunar probe called Chang’e-1 this September. The Indians, however, have not announced a firm launch date for its own Moon probe called Chandrayaan-1.
Russian space officials said funding has not been earmarked for Moon exploration projects under Russia's federal space program for 2006-2015. Russia intends to send unmanned robot probes to the Moon by the next decade, and until 2015 will rely on these probes as its only presence on the Moon. Russia will, however, consider other approaches to lunar cooperation only after 2015.
Russia hopes the US successfully launches all 15 Space Shuttle missions until the program ends in 2015, and confirmed the possibility that Russian Progress cargo spacecraft could be used to haul cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) if the U.S. program encounters problems.
NASA earlier said it would gradually reduce Space Shuttle flights to the ISS as problems with the spacecraft continue to hurt the program. In April, the US and Russia signed a $719 million addendum to the current ISS agreement that says Russia will deliver to the ISS 15 American astronauts and 5.6 metric tons of cargo until 2011.
