Russian Orbital Station to become space port for lunar program

The prospective Russian Orbital Station (ROS) will become a port as part of the lunar program, Energia Rocket and Space Corporation said in a statement, TASS reports.

There are two options for delivering cosmonauts to the Moon. They involve the use of the Angara-A5V rocket, for which the ROS may become an intermediate space port for traveling to the Moon.

At the same time, the ROS will include a reusable lunar spacecraft for manned space flights to the lunar surface. The lunar orbital station is expected to be staying in a high circular orbit.

Vladimir Solovyov, General Designer of Energia Rocket and Space Corporation for manned space systems and complexes, said that the fourth stage of the development of manned space flights would begin in 2027 along with the deployment of the Russian Orbital Station.

"There will be a new station, a new cosmodrome, new vehicles,” the designer said.

• Oleg Orlov, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences said that Russia was developing a power simulator to be used at the Russian Orbital Station.
• Milena Koloteva, a leading researcher, head of the Laboratory of Physiology of Acceleration and Artificial Gravity, said that the Russian Orbital Station would be equipped with a centrifuge to create artificial gravity.

Rocket and Space Corporation Energia will showcase a model of the base module of the prospective Russian Orbital Station this year, TASS reports.

"As part of the Roscosmos exhibitions this year, RSC Energia plans to unveil a model of the base module of the Russian Orbital Station,” Energia officials said.

The agency notes that Energia is to make a model of the ROS on a scale of 1:5. The model will be able to demonstrate the internal structure of the station.