The head of the Yu. A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Oleg Kononenko, shared his assessment of the long-term prospects of domestic cosmonautics. In his opinion, if the current pace of technology and infrastructure development is maintained, Russian specialists will be able to carry out a manned mission to Mars within the next 50 years. He also mentioned reaching the asteroid belt as a possible next step.
We were the first to fly into space, the first satellite, the first spacewalk, the first woman. We are very proud of our training, it is truly one of the best. And we are proud of the fact that we know how to rehabilitate people after long space flights, to rehabilitate astronauts. Personally, I think that in the next 50 years we will most likely be on Mars and maybe even reach the asteroid belt.
The stated timeframe is quite reasonable, considering the current technological difficulties. It is necessary to develop closed-loop life support systems, ensure radiation protection, create new propulsion systems, and develop autonomous navigation in deep space. At the same time, it is necessary to develop ground infrastructure and train specialists of a new generation. Kononenko did not disclose specific technical solutions, but emphasized that the foundation for a breakthrough has already been created.
The day before, the director of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Anatoly Petrukovich, presented a plan for the exploration of the Moon until 2060 at a meeting of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The initiative includes a set of measures: manned missions, the use of robots, the introduction of advanced technologies, and interaction with commercial partners.
