MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. A cloud of satellites will be flying around the Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) that Russia intends to create, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Chief Designer of the Energia Space Rocket Corporation, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Solovyov told TASS on Monday.

"A squadron of satellites may be created for the ROSS. We believe that this will be something new in space technology, if some cloud of spacecraft will be flying at a distance of 100-200 km from the station with their specific tasks," Solovyov said.

Russia’s future orbital outpost will feature a module with an external platform to service, refuel and repair spacecraft, the chief designer said.

"If something happens to a spacecraft, a small space tug would approach it to tow it and bring it to the station," he explained.

Russia’s Energia Space Rocket Corporation is ready to deal with the whole project of the Russian Orbital Service Station, if it is assigned this task, he said.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov announced in April that the condition of the International Space Station (ISS) left much to be desired and Russia might focus on creating its own orbital outpost. Head of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin later said that Russia’s Energia Space Rocket Corporation had been assigned the task of making the first basic module for a new Russian orbital station ready in 2025. Work on it is already underway, he said. Rogozin also posted a video of the first module under construction: this will be a research and power unit that was previously intended for launch to the International Space Station in 2024.

The Roscosmos Scientific and Technical Council recommended that the work on creating the technical project of Russia’s new orbital station be included in the 2025 federal space program.