The Russian space agency Roscosmos will give up on manned flights to the Moon and related activities at least until 2025, the Russian Izvestia newspaper reported Tuesday, citing the updated version of the Federal Space Program (FSP).
According to the FSP for years 2016-2025, the Russian space industry will refrain from creating a lunar landing complex, a lunar orbital station, a lunar space suit and the system of robotic software for Moon flights, the newspaper said.
In 2012, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who oversees the country's space industry, suggested setting up space research base on the Moon, and pledged to personally control and manage all the processes related to its construction and functioning in the future.
Roscosmos also decided to suspend the project, and the Federal Space Program does not include expenses for it.
The suspension of the so-called Moon Program allowed to save the budget some 88.5 billion rubles ($1.2 billion at the current exchange rate), the newspaper notes.
Earlier this year, the Russian Space Agency Energia said that the the first Russian unmanned lunar mission would be performed by 2025, while a manned moon landing was planned for 2029.
earlier report
Putin Signs Decree on Dissolving Federal Space Agency
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on dissolving the country's Federal Space Agency in line with the creation of Roscosmos state corporation, the Kremlin press service said Monday.
The agency will be dissolved in accordance with a federal law of July 13, 2015, according to the presidential decree, published on Kremlin's official website.
The decree comes into force on January 1, 2016.
Under the decree, the Russian government is due to ensure the continuity of the agency's functioning.
In accordance with the law, in the near future the government should carry out liquidation procedures, as well as provide the agency's employees with legal guarantees and compensation.
