Russia to set up manned lunar base

[Flabbergasted]

The Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthScience/Russia_to_set_up_manned_lunar_base/articleshow/2330458.cms

Russia to set up manned lunar base
2 Sep 2007, 0451 hrs

MOSCOW: Russia plans to send cosmonauts to the Moon by 2025 and establish a permanent manned base there in 2027-2032, the head of the space agency said on Friday.

The head of Russia's Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos), Anatoly Perminov, said that in accordance with Russia's space programme through 2040, a manned flight to Mars will be carried out after 2035. He said that toward the end of this year, Russia will have 103 satellites in orbit, up from the current 95.

There are plans for a new space centre in the country, but a site has not yet been selected, he said. Russia currently launches all manned flights from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. Perminov said previously that construction of a new launch facility would only begin after a new type of spacecraft was built.

A major source of revenue for the agency in recent years has been space tourist flights from Baikonur to the International Space Station (ISS), with tickets currently priced at around $30 million. Russia has put five wealthy foreign tourists into space since 2001.

Perminov said the first Russian space tourist, who will fly to the ISS in 2009, is a businessman and politician. "He asked me not to disclose his name yet. I can only say that he is a serious young Russian businessman and politician. He is currently undergoing medical tests."

[SaveElmer]

1. I'm all for manned space exploration...no matter who it is...

More power to them...but frankly I have my doubts as to whether they can pull this off by themselves...financially...

The Russian space program is often mocked for being behind technology wise, but they have written the book on long duration space flight which is an important element in an endeavor like this. I doubt however, that they have the resources to institute a program of this magnitude.

Since the U.S. has similar plans I wish both countries could collaborate on this as they are with the space station...

I suspect politics and national pride is rearing its ugly head again though...