Putin Calls for ‘Heavy Upgrade’ of Russian Space Industry

Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a Security Council meeting on Tuesday that the country needs to heavily upgrade its space industry and improve the sector’s management model.

“It is obvious that it is necessary to fundamentally modernize the rocket and space industry, introduce the modern model of managing the production process, R&D work and learn to use the results of space activity in all the spheres of our life by a factor more efficiently,” Putin said, according to Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

The issues of improving state policy in the sphere of space activity are extremely important, Putin said. Leading positions in space exploration are essential for solving national development tasks, ensuring the country’s security, its technological and economic competitiveness, he noted.

The Russian president believes that Russia has broad experience in developing and manufacturing space rocketry, implementing flights and large-scale scientific programs in orbit. However, it needs to constantly build up this potential, Putin stressed.

The Russian leader drew attention to the need to involve the space industry’s potential for solving tasks in the sphere of telecommunications, communications, transport, medicine, housing, and utilities. “Building up exports is a key area,” the Russian President pointed out.

“In expert estimates, the world space market is worth $183 billion annually and is set to further expand in coming years and decades,” he said.

Putin urged the government, the agencies concerned and the Russian space agency Roscosmos to maximally use available competitive advantages instead of marking time.

Putin drew particular attention to the need for the speedy completion of the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome. On this issue, he also said he instructed the government to pay attention to the construction costs.

“We have already reported several times that no company undertakes to complete the work with these rates. It’s necessary to be realistic about this, reasonably, not to overestimate, of course, nothing,” Putin noted.