[meteorite-list] Cash-Strapped Russia Aims For Unmanned Phobos Landing

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat Nov 27 01:56:03 2004
Message-ID: <200411270656.WAA18336_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-general-04x.html

Cash-Strapped Russia Aims For Unmanned Mars Moon Landing
AFP
November 25, 2004

Udaipur, India (AFP) -
Russia's space program is unlikely to launch a planetary mission before
2009 because of cash shortages, a top scientist said Thursday.

The unmanned mission will aim to land on Phobos, a moon orbiting Mars,
and a mission to the Earth's Moon is unlikely in the near future, said
Eric Galimov, planetologist and director of the V.I. Vernandsky
Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry at the Russian
Academy of Sciences.

"We were thinking of a moon mission, named Lunar Globe Programme, way
back in 1997," Galimov told AFP on the sidelines of a seminar on lunar
exploration in this north Indian city.

"But the government told us to send only one mission. We decided to
select Phobos for 2005, but now it is delayed and 2009 is a distinct
possibility."

Galimov said a mission to the Earth's moon is unlikely any time soon.

"Of course, the direct reason is lack of funds and the indirect reason
is lack of sufficient attention to the development of science in our
country."

Russia was the first nation to complete a moon orbit in 1959. But since
1996 it has not launched a single planetary mission, compared with 21 by
the United States and five by the European Space Agency.

"The country went through a difficult period of political, social and
economic transition. The selection of priorities is debatable but
science was not the first priority," Galimov said.

"As far as scientists are concerned we still have a problem of good
salary. This is why we have difficulty in attracting the young
generation. The support from the government is ridiculously low," he said.

Galimov said Russia in the near future could offer its space expertise
to help other nations such as India, which is considering a lunar probe.

"Russia has the experience and through cooperation one can cut costs and
reduce time," he said.
Received on Sat 27 Nov 2004 01:55:59 AM PST