The moon is an excellent base, including a military one. Flights there, as well as to Mars, are the next obvious steps that humanity should take for space exploration. Nevertheless, neither Russia nor other countries have any real opportunities for this yet. This is the opinion in a conversation with " Lenta.ru " was expressed by Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko.
The state Corporation Roscosmos has announced a tender for carrying out work on the subject of manned flights to the Moon. The materials of the state procurement website show that Russia is preparing to send a person to the natural satellite of the Earth. "The objectives of the research work are to develop proposals, recommendations, requirements for promising technologies, elements and systems of rocket and space technology products that ensure the reliable implementation of manned flights to the Moon, the work of astronauts in lunar orbit and the surface of the Moon, taking into account the need to solve biomedical problems," the document says.
According to Kornienko, the ambitious plans of Roscosmos are nothing more than groundless statements. He is sure that this project is unlikely to be implemented in the visible future. "There are not even any clear deadlines, so you can say anything," the cosmonaut explained. — This is just a statement to the public, just like [Tesla CEO] Elon Musk with his flights to Mars. For flights to the moon, a heavy rocket is needed, and neither we, nor the Americans, nor the Chinese have it."
Nevertheless, flights to the Moon, as the pilot noted, are the next necessary step for the exploration of space by mankind.
"Why should we send a person there? First, it is obvious that if we do not do this, the Americans will do it. They have already privatized Sputnik, and this is a great base, including a military one. I'm not saying that it necessarily needs to be militarized, but the Moon, Mars — the next thing that humanity should do in space. We have already flown in orbit. This satellite is already being sold off in parts, while there are a lot of minerals there. Unfortunately, at the moment I do not see any opportunities for the exploration of the Moon or Mars. Especially with us, " Kornienko concluded.
In January, the Space Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences recommended that Roscosmos use the Angara heavy carrier for flights to the Moon instead of the Yenisei.
Natalia Belova
