Ascending to the Heights: Russian Cosmonautics' Strategies for Recovering Top Rank in Space Exploration
In the realm of space exploration, Russia's space industry continues to make strides, with several significant projects underway. Here's a roundup of the latest developments:
Amur-SP Rocket
As of 2025, specific details about the current plans for the Amur-SP rocket and its launch pad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia remain undisclosed. However, a recent launch at Vostochny involving the NAHID-2 satellite and 17 other spacecraft did not provide any information about Amur-SP. The Amur-SP, a new reusable rocket under development by Russia's space industry, is designed to compete with other reusable launch vehicles globally. Vostochny Cosmodrome is expected to have a dedicated launch pad for Amur-SP once operational.
Angara-A5V Rocket
The development of the Angara-A5V rocket is currently underway, with a payload capacity that will enable it to compete with heavy-lift launchers. The project is particularly relevant given the freeze on the Yenisei super-heavy rocket.
Russian Orbital Station (ROS)
Roscosmos is developing the Russian Orbital Station (ROS), which will differ from the International Space Station (ISS) in its orbital inclination. This will allow Russian spacecraft to launch from the Vostochny cosmodrome without overflying water territories, making rescue operations in case of emergencies simpler. The station will be launched into orbit using rockets from the Angara family.
Lunar Missions and Other Projects
Lunar missions are planned, with the next launches - 'Luna-26' and 'Luna-27', scheduled for 2027, providing stable data about the Earth’s moon for future projects. The launch of the cubesat developed at the Far Eastern University for measuring solar radiation is scheduled for late 2024 from the "Eastern" cosmodrome.
Roscosmos is also planning to develop a new project for flights to the Moon and Mars, with a planned budget of 600 billion rubles, and a launch in 2025. The prospective Russian carrier Soyuz-5, or "Irtych", is expected to fly by the end of next year.
The "Sphere" project, led by AO "Reshetnev", will unite a constellation of satellites for communication, Earth remote sensing, and internet provision. The project includes more than 250 "Marathon-IoT" satellites and 136 "Griffon" satellites for Earth observation.
Launch Schedules and Trends
Out of 19 Russian launches in 2023, 17 were Soyuz medium-class carriers. Three ships flew from the 1S platform of "Eastern" (unmanned), the rest from "Baikonur" or "Plesetsk". Roscosmos aims to increase productivity from 40 to at least 250 units of satellites annually by 2030, aiming for an orbital group of 1000 satellites by 2030 and 2000 by 2036.
The construction of the launch pad for the Amur-SP medium-heavy rocket is set to begin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in 2026. The design of the Amur-SP is expected to be completed this year, with the first launch planned for 2030.
The Bayterek space rocket complex, initially developed to transition from toxic Protons to rockets with more eco-friendly fuel, has yet to be implemented. Changes to the relevant agreement have been approved, stating that from 2025 to 2027, a minimum of three test flights of the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle should take place at Baikonyr.
The third phase of the cosmodrome's construction is the currently existing only in the project perspective platform for launching Amur-SPG - rockets of medium class with a reusable first stage. The second phase of the cosmodrome's construction included a platform for heavy-class rockets, the promising long-term project Angara-A5.
The Angara-A5 rocket was initially planned to launch from the "Free" cosmodrome but was moved to "Eastern". It was successfully tested on April 11, 2023. The current priority for Roscosmos is increasing productivity from 40 to at least 250 units of satellites annually by 2030, aiming for an orbital group of 1000 satellites by 2030 and 2000 by 2036.
Russia may no longer need Baikonur after 2028.
- In the province of space-and-astronomy, Russia's space industry is making strides, with several significant projects underway, such as the Amur-SP rocket.
- Although specific details about the Amur-SP rocket and its launch pad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome remain undisclosed, the Angara-A5V rocket's development is currently underway, with a payload capacity that will allow it to compete with heavy-lift launchers.
- Roscosmos is developing the Russian Orbital Station (ROS), a new spacecraft that will differentiate from the International Space Station due to its orbital inclination, making rescue operations in case of emergencies simpler.
- In the realm of environmental-science, Roscosmos is planning lunar missions, with the next launches - 'Luna-26' and 'Luna-27', scheduled for 2027, providing stable data about the Earth’s moon for future projects.
- The Russian space industry is also focusing on business and investing by developing the "Sphere" project, which unites a constellation of satellites for communication, Earth remote sensing, and internet provision.
- As Russia prepares for life-changing strides in space exploration, they are also focusing on education-and-self-development, with a planned budget of 600 billion rubles for a new project for flights to the Moon and Mars, and a launch in 2025.
- In addition to space exploration, Russia may no longer need Baikonur after 2028, signifying a shift towards newer cosmodromes such as Vostochny and "Eastern".
