Moon base, deep exploration among space agency’s 2030 goals

Landing on the Moon and building a base there are among the goals set by the Russian space agency in their new 20-year outlook.

­This comes as part of a draft space exploration strategy proposed by the Federal Space Agency.

Before a Moon landing, a Russian spacecraft would fly circle it as part of a "demonstration" mission.

After 2030, there would also be a so-called Moon orbital base for visiting spacecraft, maintenance of large space vehicles and orbital transfer vehicles in low Earth orbits. The strategy would also involve setting up orbital groups of space vehicles.

The 2030 breakthrough also involves large-scale exploration of near-Earth space and the Moon, as well as a manned flight to Mars.

The major idea behind the strategy is to give Russia independent access to space and to open an Eastern spaceport – as well as to develop a super-heavy class space rocket complex and a fleet of space tugs. There would also be manned research missions to high Earth orbits.

Earlier it was reported that before 2030, Russia plans to deploy space systems for the global stereo monitoring of the Sun, and control over solar activity and weather in the heliospehre. There are also plans to fly missions to Jupiter and Venus.