Station of destination: Russian scientists will send robots to explore space

In space exploration, our country will rely on nuclear energy and robots. Scientists told about this at a thematic meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Kurchatov Institute is creating nuclear power sources for the lunar power plant and spacecraft engines. The development is based on the direct conversion of energy into electricity. In the next 10 years, 16 scientific devices are planned to be launched in Russia. Their missions will cover the exploration of the Moon, the search for traces of life on Venus, the study of the Sun and space weather, as well as the observation of black holes and neutron stars. The future ROS national orbital station is considered as an intermediate stage for further exploration of the Moon, Mars and other celestial bodies.

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In the field of space exploration, Russia relies on nuclear technologies, automated missions, and robotics — these areas are embedded, in particular, in lunar exploration programs. This was told by scientists at a thematic meeting of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, held on the second day of Space Week in Russia.

— Today, leadership is defined by the ability to combine several areas into a system. First, you need to make materials of different quality and with unique properties. The second is to provide the entire process with the necessary energy. And the third is to create conditions for life in outer space. This formula reflects the complexity of the modern space race," said Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the Kurchatov Institute Research Center.

According to him, nuclear energy occupies a special place in this system. Russian scientists rely on technologies for direct conversion of nuclear energy into electricity. These include, in particular, thermocouples, where the temperature difference between the heated and cooled parts allows electric current to be generated, as well as thermal emission plants, in which particles are emitted and electricity is generated when heated.

Similar developments will be implemented during the exploration of the Moon. A prototype of the energy module will be produced by 2032. Its capacity will be 5 kW. Serial installations will be able to operate for five years, after which they will be replaced with new ones.

Mikhail Kovalchuk also spoke about the progress in the development of electrodeless plasma rocket engines, promising propulsion systems that will allow deep space exploration in the future, including flights to Mars. In particular, the FINGER test stand, a space simulator designed to test such engines in conditions as close as possible to real ones, was put into operation this week. The diameter of the stand chamber is 5 m, and the volume of the test compartment is 300 cubic meters.

— The Russian space industry is entering a new stage. The national project, adopted for the period up to 2036, provides for the creation of new satellite groups and launch vehicles, the development of a manned program, scientific exploration and space exploration with an emphasis on nuclear energy. The project aims to ensure the country's technological independence and competitiveness in space. More than 4 trillion rubles have been allocated for these purposes," said Sergey Chernyshev, Scientific Director of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after Professor N.E. Zhukovsky, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician.

According to him, over the next decade, Russia plans to launch 16 scientific devices in various fields. They will be devoted to the exploration of the Moon, including landing missions and the creation of a base, the search for traces of life on Venus and exoplanets, the study of the Sun and space weather, as well as the tasks of biomedicine and human preparation for long-range flights.

The program pays special attention to astrophysics. Using the Spektr-RGN, Spektr-UV and Spektr-M orbital observatories, scientists expect to obtain new data on the early Universe, as well as on black holes, neutron stars and other extreme space objects.

According to Sergey Chernyshev, the implementation of the programs included in the national draft will strengthen Russia's position among the leaders of the space industry and create the basis for the development of applied technologies.

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— Currently, the main task is not the fact of flight itself, but the ability to gain a foothold on the surface of the Earth's satellite. In these conditions, Russia relies on automated missions and robotics," said Academician Anatoly Petrukovich, Director of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

According to him, interest in the Moon is now driven by the discovery of water ice in the polar regions of the satellite, which has formed a new concept for its exploration. The polar regions are now considered the most promising sites for future bases, which has significantly increased international competition.

The Russian program is being built in stages. The first stage is the return of Russian orbital and landing automatic vehicles to the Moon. Their tasks include mapping the surface, practicing navigation and exploring the ground. Scientists pay special attention to technologies for drilling and analyzing lunar matter.

The second stage involves the transition to more complex systems, including sending heavy moon rovers weighing up to 500 kg. Such devices will be able to conduct research at a distance of up to 500 km from the landing point, which will allow exploring promising areas for the deployment of the base, located at a considerable distance from each other.

Anatoly Petrukovich noted that it is impossible to fully develop a satellite without robotics. The development of these technologies will allow Russia to maintain strategic parity with other participants in the lunar race.

In the field of manned space exploration, priorities are focused on the formation of its own orbital infrastructure and the creation of a national space station ROS, added Vladimir Solovyov, General Designer of RSC Energia. Its deployment will begin in 2028 on the basis of the Russian segment of the ISS. The ROS project provides for a modular architecture with the possibility of replacing individual elements, which removes the limitations on the service life of the "space house".

Among the priorities of the station's work are astrophysical observations, remote exploration of our planet and the creation of new materials that cannot be obtained in terrestrial conditions. ROS can also become a base for controlling automatic vehicles in orbit.

— At the same time, the role of man in space remains fundamental. The crew provides the flexibility of scientific research, the ability to repair equipment and prompt decision—making — something that cannot be fully automated," Vladimir Solovyov emphasized.

Based on this, the orbital station looks like a necessary stage for testing technologies for exploring the Moon, Mars and other celestial objects with human participation, he added. In particular, ROS will conduct experiments to create bricks in space conditions from an analogue of regolith — lunar soil. In the future, this will help build bases on the surface of the satellite.