Just over a month after a Chinese satellite was intentionally smashed into bits in a test of anti-satellite technology, a Russian rocket body exploded accidentally, littering the skies with more than 1000 additional pieces of space junk. The amount of space debris created is roughly on par with that released during China's test, which was considered the worst space debris event in the history of space launches. And experts say the debris is likely to stay in orbit for a long time, creating a danger to other spacecraft.
Alexei Arbatov and Gen. Vladimir Dvorkin of the Carnegie Moscow Center gave a presentation and answered questions on the current state of Russian civilian and military space programs and how Russia's space policies are related to its security concerns, including nuclear deterrence.
The European Union and Russia signed an agreement to improve cooperation on space activities like satellite communications, future transport systems and developing new technology.
In recent weeks Russians have discussed the possibility of establishing a lunar base on their own, perhaps to refine helium-3. James Oberg examines these pronouncements and sees them as another effort by Russian companies to win foreign funding.
The head of a leading Russian space company said it was considering plans to set up a permanent moon base and helium-3 mining operation by 2015, a statement that appeared to be an effort to win government funds rather than a specific action plan.
ndia and Russia were scheduled to sign four agreements on space and defence cooperation during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's three-day visit to Russia.
Russian space researchers will lock six men in a metal tube for more than a year in an effort to mimic the stresses and challenges of a manned mission to Mars.
India and Russia on Wednesday decided to jointly develop a major space program, signaling new horizons in cooperation between the two countries. During Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's three-day visit, the Russian and Indian space agencies signed a deal pledging to cooperate in space research, including exploration of the moon.
Russian space officials say that Moscow may have to scale back its operations supporting the International Space Station because it has no money to manufacture Soyuz vessels for manned space flights.
Russian space officials proposed an ambitious project to send a six-person team to Mars by the year 2015, a trip that would mark a milestone in space travel and international space cooperation.