Russia will increase the number of its orbital satellites to 150 by 2025, head of Russia's United Rocket Space Corporation (URSC) said Monday. "According to the federal space program's new project, the number of orbital satellites with social-economic purpose will be doubled to 75, while the number of the satellites for government needs is expected to reach 150 by 2025," Igor Komarov said.
He stressed that all spacecrafts should meet the highest international standards and that Russia's space industry must be ready to produce cutting-edge hardware for ambitious tasks, such as the lunar exploration program.
Komarov added that the full-operation of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's far eastern Amur Region, which is scheduled for 2018, will significantly increase the number of launches, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Moreover, Russia is preparing a new law that would speed up the country's space industry reforms, according to Komarov.
"A systematic reform plan of the space-rocket industry would be
finished and discussed by the end of the year, while the law determining the powers of the URSC in order to boost reform is in preparation, under the president's orders," Komarov said.
The state-run corporation would be given an enhanced status, obtaining share packages of 11 industry players.
New corporation management is needed due to "actually critical situation" from financial issues in the enterprise, Komarov said.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin in August urged Russia's space industry to become "fully independent in its hardware designed to survive space mission" and the engine of industry development.
Source: Source: Xinhua
