Russia to bring 2 new modules to ISS by 2018 - programme

MOSCOW, May 13 (Itar-Tass) - Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) will be enlarged to seven modules by 2018. Currently Russian ISS segment comprises five modules. “Deployed Russian ISS segment will comprise six modules in 2015, seven modules in 2018,” this data was cited in the Russian state-funded programme on space activity in 2013-2020 made public on Tuesday. Budget funding of this state-financed programme totals 1.8 trillion roubles (around $51.1 billion). Space rocket Angara-A5 should be produced and put into operation, space facilities should be refurbished and effective operation of spaceports Plesetsk and Baikonur should be ensured, first and second lines of a new Russian spaceport Vostochny should be created in 2015 and 2018, respectively, within the state-funded programme. Meanwhile, the state programme envisages deployment of an orbital space grouping of 78 spacecrafts in 2015 and 113 spacecrafts in 2020 to meet state needs and start of flight trials of a piloted transport system of new generation before 2020. The required composition of the GLONASS global navigation satellite orbital grouping upgraded by satellites Glonass-K with enhanced functional capabilities should also be provided. “By 2015 the system will provide for a positional error of 1.4 metres to consumers and around 0.6 metres by 2020,” the document runs. The programme also envisions that a new transport and energy module with a prospective engine unit will be prepared to flight trials in 2018. “Achieved results will allow providing for Russia’s guaranteed access to the outer space, including from the territory of the country, and resolving tasks to use spacecrafts to develop socio-economic sphere and science in the country,” the state programme reads. Learn more on itar-tass.com