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Putin sees future orbital station as Russia’s sovereign outpost in space

The President said that "one of the functions and goals" of the Russian orbital station will be to prepare for the implementation of Russia's plans regarding the Moon

MOSCOW, April 12. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that the national orbital station, currently in the development phase, will become the country's sovereign outpost in space.

"Undoubtedly, we need to create sovereign space systems and a new-generation component base and to design Russia’s own orbital station, which will serve as an outpost of our country for exploring outer space, especially deep space," Putin said at a gala meeting on the occasion of Cosmonautics Day on Wednesday.

"The country’s earthly needs should not be forgotten, too. Specialists know that the new station will be configured for solving, among other things, the tasks facing our country in the broadest sense," Putin said.

Earlier on Wednesday, he held a meeting with Roscosmos CEO Yury Borisov to discussed the creation of Russia’s future orbital station. The Russian government decided to extend the operation of the Russian segment of the International Space Station until 2028. Borisov believes that "time is running fast" and that "no interruptions in crewed space flights should be allowed."

The draft design of the new station will be ready in the summer. The station’s main parameters and shape and the stages of its creation are already well-known. Putin said that "one of the functions and goals" of the Russian orbital station will be to prepare for the implementation of Russia's plans regarding the Moon.

The last Russian orbital station, Mir, operated in space from February 1986 to March 2001. Since then Russia has been involved in the International Space Station project.