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Russian space agency ensures secrecy of vote for cosmonauts at ISS

Earlier there were some difficulties with the vote on the orbit

MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. Russia’s space agency ensured the secrecy of vote on constitutional amendments for Russian cosmonauts working at the International Space Station (ISS), Head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin told the Central Election Commission on Wednesday.

Earlier there were some difficulties with the vote on the orbit because for a long time Russia’s segment at the ISS had worked via a communications line shared with the Americans. "So, there is the so-called Internet that everyone used. That’s why all talks with the ISS are not a secret, they are on air," Rogozin explained.

In this regard, there were certain doubts whether the old system should be used, he noted.

"But since late last year we have started boosting technical capabilities for ensuring direct communications with our crew bypassing partners. "This time we chose this way and yesterday [cosmonaut Anatoly] Ivanishin voted using digital technology," the Roscosmos chief said, stressing that this happened for the first time.

The Russian segment of the ISS will receive an independent broadband Internet by the end of 2020, he noted. According to Rogozin, Russia will get independence in this issue and "get its own broadband links, and the Russian Internet will be fully under our control."