The External Evolution of the Russian Space Programme

Abstract

From the Intercosmos programme to the currently envisaged Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway (LOP-G), passing through the International Space Station (ISS) and the 2016 ExoMars mission, Russia has traditionally positioned international space cooperation as an integral component of its space programme and strategy. Russia’s contribution to the space endeavours of India, South Korea, Brazil, the U.S., Europe and China “bears witness to Russia’s position as a linchpin of most current international space architecture” (Hulsroj in Yearbook on space policy 2011/2012. Space in times of financial crisis. Springer, Vienna, 2014). In spite—or perhaps exactly because—of the tumultuous vicissitudes experienced by its domestic space sector recently, Russia has always remained open to international cooperation and has repeatedly demonstrated the importance it gives to meeting its international commitments, even during difficult times, as shown inter alia by the example of the ISS.