Russian State Space Giant Roscosmos May Curb Space Program Due to Lack of Funds

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian federal space program might face cuts as the Roscosmos state corporation is likely to suffer funding shortages amounting to 150 billion rubles (almost $2.4 billion) in the next three years, a source in the industry told Sputnik.

“The shortages of budgetary funds planned for allocation to Roscosmos from the previous parameters for the next three years is about 150 billion rubles … the lack of funds has already become a reason of delays in the development of interplanetary projects, slowing down construction of the second stage of the Vostochny Cosmodrome and the development of new rocket and space equipment,” the source said.

The federal program for the development of Russian space launch centers for the period of 2017-2025 in 2019 it may receive 17 billion rubles less that it was initially planned, while in 2020 it may see a reduction of funding by 52 billion rubles and in 2021 – 75 billion less, according to the source.

Due to the funding shortages, the program will most likely be reviewed in the coming months, the source noted.

Moreover, Rano Dzhuraeva, the CEO of Center for Operation of Space Ground Based Infrastructure (TsENKI), which is  the operator of Russia’s cosmodromes, has been dismissed, with Oleg Maidanovich appointed as the acting CEO of the company, according to the source.

The alleged changes in the Russian space industry take place against the background of appointment of former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin to the position of Roscosmos’ CEO.