"A Rare Person in Humanity... Ideas Eventually Realized"
Russia and US Continue to Cooperate in Space Development
Russia's New Space Development Project to Be Announced Soon
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX who is pushing for Mars exploration, by comparing him to Sergey Korolev, a prominent Soviet space engineer. While emphasizing that Russia and the United States continue to cooperate in space, he also revealed that a new national project for the development of Russia's space industry will soon be approved.
Putin calls Musk "a person obsessed with Mars"
According to the Russian state media TASS, on the 16th (local time), President Putin met with students from Bauman Moscow State Technical University and said that Musk is "a person living in the United States who can be said to be obsessed with Mars," adding, "People filled with such a specific idea do not often appear in humanity."
He continued, "Although it may seem unbelievable today, such ideas are often realized shortly thereafter," emphasizing, "The ideas of another pioneer, Korolev, were also realized. Some of their plans seemed hard to believe, but all were realized." Korolev was a space and rocket engine engineer who led the Soviet space projects during the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s. Known as the father of the Soviet space program, he succeeded in launching the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, and Yuri Gagarin's historic first human spaceflight.
However, President Putin said Musk's Mars exploration plan is "very difficult," adding, "It seems very difficult to implement right now. If you are interested in this, you would know."
Earlier, Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s special envoy for foreign investment and economic cooperation and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), announced on the 18th of last month (local time) that he planned to meet with Musk to discuss prospects for cooperation in the space sector. Speaking to reporters at a meeting of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, he said, "I will discuss with Musk in the near future," and also described Musk as "a unique leader who seeks to advance humanity." Dmitriev explained that he discussed cooperation with Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), and expressed willingness to seek cooperation with the United States in this field.
Space development remains the only area of ongoing Western cooperation
President Putin pointed out that cooperation with the United States in space continues, citing the joint operation of the International Space Station (ISS) as an example. Although Russia declared in 2022, amid conflicts with the United States, that it would withdraw from the ISS and build its own space station, this has not been realized. There have been predictions that the ongoing war with Ukraine, now in its third year, inevitably disrupts Russia’s space plans.
The space sector is one of the very few areas where Russia and the United States maintain cooperation despite the deterioration of relations following Russia’s 'special military operation' in Ukraine. In contrast, Putin noted that Europe has suspended space cooperation with Russia. He also explained that Russia has "interesting and ambitious" space plans with China and is cooperating with BRICS countries such as India, South Africa, and Brazil.
Furthermore, at a meeting on space industry development held that day, President Putin said that Russia can contribute to international programs not only in Mars and lunar exploration but also in deep space exploration, stating, "We will discuss forms of cooperation with other space power partners." He emphasized that Russia must develop its space industry as a key sector and that Russia’s space exploration plans should be worthy of the status of an advanced space power. He also revealed that a new national project for the development of Russia’s space industry will soon be approved.
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