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Russian Space Defence Troops to launch 18 spacecraft this year

Posted on: Friday, 29 August 2003, 06:00 CDT

Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax-AVN web site

Moscow, 29 August: The Russian Space Defence Troops have supported the orbiting of 18 spacecraft of various purposes this year, Space Troops Commander Anatoliy Perminov said on Friday [29 August].

"In 2002 alone, combat crews of the Space Defence Troops conducted 17 launches and supported eight launches under Russian, international cooperation, and commercial programmes in the interests of the nation's social, economic and scientific development. This year, we are continuing to implement plans on time. We put 18 spacecraft into orbit in the first half of the year, including three for social-economic purposes, 10 for commercial purposes and one for research," Perminov told Interfax-Military News Agency.

The Space Defence Troops orbital grouping is capable of accomplishing assigned missions in the interests of national security and social-economic development, he said. "The domestic orbital grouping consists of about 100 spacecraft, two thirds of them being of military and dual purpose," Perminov noted.

The Space Defence Troops have managed to stop the decline in the quality and numerical strength of the grouping in the past two years, he went on. "I consider the almost halving of the number of spacecraft types and the extension of their active service life to five to 10 years the most important goals. This will help reduce expenses on production, operation and launches by two or threefold. We may save up to R1bn (32.76m dollars) annually by reducing the number of launches alone," Perminov said.

The creation of dual-purpose satellites remains a no less important mission, he noted. "This is both a necessity and a global tendency. According to our estimates, dual-purpose spacecraft may amount to 50 per cent of the domestic orbital grouping by 2006- 2010," the commander said. The development of the information means of missile and space defence will be a priority for the Space Defence Troops, he stressed.

"I am referring to missile attack warning systems, anti-missile systems and space control systems," he added.

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