Space exploration: Russia to send representatives of three countries into orbit
Roscosmos will soon sign agreements with three countries on the participation of foreign cosmonauts in missions, Dmitry Bakanov, the head of the state corporation, told Izvestia. Earlier, he reported that Russia would help organize the first flight of an astronaut from Indonesia. The Kremlin also expressed its readiness to send a representative of North Korea into orbit. Experts also name India, Vietnam and the Central African Republic as the most likely candidates for joint flights. Such cooperation works for the reputation of the Russian space industry, which is important for strengthening the country's space sovereignty, experts believe. The first module of the Russian Space Station is expected to be launched in 2028. How the Russian Federation promotes the development of the space industry in other countries and promotes its technologies to foreign markets — in the Izvestia article.
Which foreigners will Russia send into space
Roscosmos will sign agreements with three countries on the participation of foreign cosmonauts in joint missions. These will be "political associates of our country," Dmitry Bakanov, the head of the state corporation, told Izvestia.
— We are ready to tell you, but upon the conclusion of an agreement with one side or another for the training of astronauts. There are three countries, indeed, that have approached us with this request. But as soon as we sign the documents, so that there are no plans to sell and so that nothing goes wrong. As soon as it takes place, we'll tell you right away," Dmitry Bakanov said.
Roscosmos already has successful examples of joint manned missions with representatives of not the most "space" countries. In particular, in 2015, Kazakh Aydin Aimbetov participated in an expedition to the ISS as part of the Soyuz TMA-18M crew, in 2019, the first astronaut of the United Arab Emirates, Hazzaa al-Mansouri, went to the ISS on the Russian Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft, and in 2024 Soyuz MS-25 launched a citizen of Belarus, Marina Vasilevskaya, was put into orbit.
In addition, there are examples from the Soviet era. In 1980, Vietnamese pilot Pham Tuan went to the Salyut-6 station, and in 1984, Indian Rakesh Sharma went to Salyut-7.
At the same time, it is already known that Russia will assist in organizing the first flight of an astronaut from Indonesia, Bakanov said at the SPIEF in June 2025.
In addition, Russia has stated its readiness to send an astronaut from North Korea to the ISS. According to Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, this topic was discussed during Vladimir Putin's talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to the Vostochny cosmodrome in September 2023. Further contacts between the leaders only increase this probability. For example, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, which Putin and Kim signed during the Russian president's visit to Pyongyang, provides for joint space research. In addition, the candidacy of an astronaut from the DPRK becomes more likely with the return of Donald Trump to the White House. Sending an astronaut to the International Space Station will also require NASA's consent, and given Trump's personal experience with Kim, it will be easier to get it.
— In the current military and political situation, first of all, it is worth talking about the possibility of candidates flying from friendly countries of Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. Candidates from the Persian Gulf countries who have enough funds to pay for a space flight are also possible," Dmitry Strugovets, an expert in cosmonautics and author of the Closed Space TV channel, tells Izvestia.
Roscosmos can also finance participation if we are talking about so-called "political flights" that are important for the status of a particular country. This was the case, for example, with Belarus and Kazakhstan. It is carried out on the basis of offsets or, possibly, subsequent benefits for the supply of certain goods, the expert explains.
Vietnam and the Central African Republic are among the new candidates, according to Roman Belousov, a science journalist and author of the Kosmicheskiy Chronicon telegram channel. The Southeast Asian country is a long-standing and reliable partner of the Russian Federation, while the Central African Republic is a point of military, logistical and economic interest for Russia in Africa. Currently, the creation of a Russian military base is being worked out there.
— That is where Russian interests are particularly visible today, and space is becoming an instrument of diplomacy no less than science. Vietnam has traditionally relied on our space school since Pham Tuan's flight, and a new launch would be a symbolic continuation of history. African states, on the other hand, are looking for new technologies and international recognition — for them this is not just a mission, but a way to assert themselves on the global stage, the expert emphasizes.
An Indian cosmonaut can theoretically go into orbit on a Russian spacecraft, despite the fact that the country is currently working on its own manned Gaganian program. According to Belousov, it is progressing rather slowly: the launch is expected in 2027. Meanwhile, India is engaged in unmanned missions. In December, a humanoid robot named Vyommitra (Vyoma in Sanskrit - cosmos, Mitra — friend) will go into space. He must check the operation of all key ship systems in space conditions.
In addition, back in 2019, Roscosmos reported on negotiations with Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In 2021, it was reported that preparations for a manned mission had already begun with Riyadh. However, at that time the state corporation had a different leadership, and there are no new details of these negotiations. And in 2022, the state corporation discussed with Mongolia the dispatch of the first female cosmonaut from that country.
Space as Russia's "soft power"
Today, only three countries have the capability to launch humans into orbit on their own: Russia, the United States, and China. The Russian Federation and the United States are sending them to the ISS as part of Soyuz and Crew Dragon crews, respectively. China has built its own space station in low-Earth orbit due to the US ban on cooperation in space exploration and the blocking of participation in the ISS program. Despite the fact that its operation has been extended until 2028, Russia intends to strengthen its space sovereignty, especially against the background of sanctions pressure. Dmitry Bakanov said that the first module of the Russian Space Station will be launched in the same year.
— For Russia, joint manned missions are important for three reasons. First, they confirm the country's status as one of the few players really capable of sending people into space. Secondly, it strengthens allied ties and makes space a platform of "soft power". And thirdly, every "guest" on board the Soyuz is working for the reputation of Russian cosmonautics, and therefore for its future," Roman Belousov notes.
In addition, it is a tool for promoting domestic technologies to foreign markets. Roscosmos is currently negotiating with two countries in the Asia-Pacific region to build spaceports on their territory. In this context, the former head of the state corporation, Yuri Borisov, named India, China, Iran among the main partners, and also announced "big plans" with South Africa, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Russia also proposes to deepen space cooperation between the BRICS countries. For example, this spring there was a proposal to form a working group on space traffic safety, as well as to create an organization for cooperation in the field of satellite navigation and laser rangefinding. This should improve navigation in the countries of the association.
— Quite a lot of agreements have already been concluded with the countries of the Global South on the provision of satellite information, the launch of meteorological and communication satellites, as well as devices for remote sensing of the Earth. In addition, the Russian space industry has received an additional incentive for development with the arrival of the new head of Roscosmos," Oleg Barabanov, Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences and program director of the Valdai Club, tells Izvestia.
More recently, on September 13, the new "home" of Roscosmos, the National Space Center, opened in Moscow. The state corporation expects that the opening of the NCC will accelerate the development of new rocket and space technologies. It will bring together about 30 specialized companies and design bureaus under the roof, and it is there that the MCC of the future Russian orbital station will be located. Later, there will be control centers for the entire orbital group of the Russian Federation, said the new head of Roscosmos.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
