Roscosmos

The Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, also known as Roscosmos (Russian: Роскосмос), is a state corporation of the Russian Federation. They focus on the country's space flights, cosmonautics programs, and aerospace research.

Roscosmos State Space Corporation

Государственная Корпорация "Роскосмос"
Roscosmos headquarters building in Moscow
Abbreviation	ROSCOSMOS
Formation	25 February 1992 (1992-02-25) (as the Russian Space Agency)
Headquarters	Moscow
Official language	Russian
Administrator	Dmitry Rogozin
Primary spaceport	Baikonur Cosmodrome Vostochny Cosmodrome Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Parent organisation	Russia
Budget	176 billion rubles (2020) (US$2.77 billion)
Staff	170,500 (2020)
Website	www.roscosmos.ru

History

Established in 1992, the genesis of Roscosmos emerged from the amalgamation of a pre-existing agency and United Rocket and Space Corporation, a collaborative venture aimed at fortifying the space sector. However, Russia's engagement with space extends far beyond these developments. During the zenith of the former Soviet Union's space dominance in the 1950s and 1960s, the nation achieved numerous pioneering feats, notably including the milestone of launching the first human into space.

Roscosmos was conceived in a distinct era, emerging shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Despite facing constraints in resources, the agency directed its efforts towards initiatives such as the International Space Station, a commitment it upholds to this day. In 2016, Roscosmos inaugurated the Vostochny launch complex, aimed at gradually assuming the responsibilities of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, its current primary launch facility located in Kazakhstan.

Early year programmes

The Soviet Union's enduring legacy in space exploration spans much of the previous century. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky's groundbreaking work in rocketry laid the foundation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Building upon this foundation, the Soviets augmented their expertise by assimilating German V2 missile engineers following the conclusion of World War II in 1945, a move mirrored by the United States.

During the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58, the Soviets made history by launching the world's inaugural satellite, Sputnik, on October 4, 1957. This achievement sparked concerns in the United States regarding the ideological influence of communism in the realm of outer space. As the Americans endeavored to close the gap, the Soviets continued to achieve numerous milestones, including sending the first human (Yuri Gagarin) and first woman (Valentina Tereshkova) into space, executing the first lunar flyby (Luna 1), and orchestrating the first three-person crew mission (Voskhod 1).

In addition to these feats, the Soviets pioneered advancements in space station technology, exemplified by the Salyut and Mir space station programs. Notably, Mir facilitated the longest human spaceflight on record, undertaken by Valeri Polyakov in 1994. The Soviet Union's proficiency in extended-duration space missions left a profound impression on NASA, prompting the American agency to forge partnerships with Russia following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

Establishment of Roscosmos

After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Russia's space program faced financial constraints. Roscosmos was established in 1992 to centralize space efforts. Concerns in the US about economic instability led to the Shuttle-Mir program, sending American astronauts to Mir. Operating from 1995 to 1998, it paved the way for ISS collaboration. Russia focused on the ISS, leading to Mir's de-orbit. Roscosmos contributed key modules to the ISS, including Zarya, Zvezda, and Rassvet, along with reliable Progress spacecraft for cargo resupply. Despite challenges, Progress has had few failures, notably in 2011, 2015, and 2016.

Robotic Space Mission

Roscosmos is a significant provider of launch services globally, though its Proton rocket line has faced challenges, with several failures including three Breeze-M upper stages within 16 months, prompting a full review in late 2012, and another booster failure in 2013. Satellite losses occurred in 2015 and 2016 due to failures. Alongside international launches, Roscosmos conducts various satellite missions, including Earth observation, military, telecommunications, and Glonass navigation satellites.

In 2013, a fragment from a Chinese satellite collided with the Russian laser-ranging satellite BLITS, altering its orbit and causing fragmentation. Looking ahead, Russia is collaborating with the European Space Agency on the ExoMars mission. The Trace Gas Orbiter launched successfully in 2016, while the rover's launch was delayed by two years, now expected in 2020, aiming to break the streak of failed Mars missions, such as the Phobos-Grunt failure in 2012.

Collaboration of Roscosmos and ISRO

On October 5th, 2018, ISRO and ROSCOSMOS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding collaborative efforts in the Human Spaceflight Programme. Notably, the MoU does not encompass specific missions to the International Space Station via Soyuz spacecraft.