Support The Moscow Times!

Russia to Send 'Outstanding Citizens' to Space for Free

Roscosmos

Russia’s state space agency plans to send “outstanding citizens” to the International Space Station (ISS) at no cost in exchange for their achievements, the agency’s head announced on Thursday.

The Roscosmos space agency plans to send tourists to the ISS in late 2021 under a deal signed with the U.S. tourism firm Space Adventures. Dmitry Rogozin, the head Roscosmos, has vowed to bring tourists to the ISS in less time than a Moscow-Brussels flight after a cargo spacecraft set a record last summer to reach the station.

“We’ll introduce rewards in the next phase [of space tourism]. In other words, we’ll send unique Russian citizens [to the ISS] for their unique accomplishments,” Rogozin was quoted as saying by the state-run TASS news agency.

He said teachers and scientists will be among the Russian space tourists given priority, according to the Kommersant business daily.

The Progress MS-11 cargo craft set another record of 3 hours and 22 minutes last week. Rogozin said shorter missions will boost Russia’s competitiveness in the space tourism industry.

A state-run survey released to coincide with national Cosmonautics Day on Friday showed that a majority of Russian respondents still view their country as a global leader in space exploration.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more