"We do not want a second violin role": Russia could abandon a lunar station project with NASA

"We do not want second fiddle role": Russia could abandon a lunar station project with NASA, Russia could come out of a joint venture with NASA to build a lunar station the effort. Instead, Moscow joins the BRICS countries, confirmed a Roscosmos official.

The fate of the joint program to build a Russian-American station to explore the moon is now in contradiction, with the two sides not agreeing on some of the burden they would share.

"The Russian Federation can not afford to play the second fiddle role," said Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos.

Roscosmos and NASA agreed last year to develop the Lunar Orbital platform, also called Gateway. Russia now maintains that the United States wants them to contribute only partially to the ambitious project.

According to NASA, Roscosmos wants to build a docking compartment and an adjacent module. But both parties must be able to accommodate US space suits and be designed in accordance with US technical guidelines.

If Roscosmos and NASA fail to agree, Russia will consider a similar project with the BRICS countries, Rogozin said. Without giving further details on this issue, he said: "The question of whether it will be a Russian or international station has not yet been negotiated."

Deep Space Gateway can help "gain experience for human missions that penetrate further into the solar system, access the lunar surface for robotic missions but can return to Earth in days rather than days." weeks or months ", in March.

In 2015, Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin said Moscow could team up with Beijing to create a science station on the moon. Roscosmos discussed the possibility of introducing China as the main partner in the creation of a lunar science station. And earlier this year, the two agreed to create a common data center for lunar and space projects.

Formerly known as the Deep Space Gateway, the development of the current lunar station is led by contributors to the International Space Station, including ESA, NASA and Roscosmos. The project is intended to help extend the presence of humanity to the moon, Mars and further into the solar system.

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