When was Roscosmos founded and what is it responsible for?
Roscosmos was established on the 25th of February 1992 by a decree of President Yeltsin as the Russian Space Agency. It is responsible for space flights, cosmonautics programs, and aerospace research, and inherited the bulk of the Soviet space program after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
What rockets does Roscosmos currently use?
Roscosmos uses the heavy-lift Proton-M and Angara A5, medium-lift Soyuz-2 variants, and small-lift Angara-1.2. The Soyuz-2.1b can lift up to 8,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit.
How did the 2022 invasion of Ukraine affect Roscosmos?
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, Roscosmos lost 90 percent of its launch service contracts and reported export revenue losses of 180 billion rubles, roughly $2.1 billion. Partnerships with ESA on the ExoMars program and the Soyuz launches from French Guiana were suspended.
What role did Roscosmos play in building the International Space Station?
Roscosmos helped found the ISS by launching the Zarya module in 1998, the station's first component. It later added the Zvezda and Nauka modules, and has been responsible for crewed Soyuz flights and Progress resupply missions throughout the station's operational life.
What happened to the Luna 25 mission launched by Roscosmos in 2023?
Luna 25, Roscosmos's first lunar lander mission under the Luna-Glob program, crashed onto the Moon in 2023. Future plans under the program include orbiters, polar landers, and a sample return mission.
What is the Russian Orbital Station and when is it planned to be completed?
The Russian Orbital Station is a planned replacement for Russia's portion of the ISS, to be constructed beginning with the ISS's Nauka module following the ISS deorbit from 2028. It is expected to be completed by 2032 at a projected cost of 609 billion rubles.