Russia interested in India's moon-study project

Russia is ready to participate in India's "lunar space study" project, Yuri Koptev, head of Rosaviakosmos /the Russian Space Agency/, said to journalists on Thursday. He was speaking on results of the cabinet sitting considering the 2004 draft federal space programme.

"India has drawn up a moon-study programme and Russia with its long-time experience is for participating in it", Koptev said. "Cooperation with India in this sphere would be useful and we are discussing it".

Russia is ready, among other things, to supply cryogenic stages for heavy rockets to India, said the head of Rosaviakosmos. "Europe, America and China are showing a renewed interest in moon studies and we are also prepared to share our experience", he said.

Koptev recalled that the programme of space cooperation with India was born over 30 years ago: India has been putting in space its satellites by Russian carrier rockets. "Now India has become a self-sufficient space exploration country", Yuri Koptev said.