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Roscosmos plans to use nuclear-powered tug to clean up orbits

The Roscosmos CEO mentioned some likely ways of dealing with the space debris problem, such as taking them into deep space or collecting them for disposal

KALUGA, April 14. /TASS/. Roscosmos is considering the possibility of using the Zevs (Zeus) nuclear tug for cleaning up orbits crammed with space debris, the corporation’s CEO Yuri Borisov said at the Tsiolkovsky International Space Films and Programs Festival in Kaluga on Thursday.

"We are considering various ways of cleaning up orbits. We have a program for building a nuclear-powered tug, Zevs. By 2030, we hope to have this product ready. With its powerful energy resource it will be able to change orbits. There is an idea to use this tug to clean up at least the geostationary highly elliptical orbits," Borisov said, adding that this function would complement the research tasks.

The Roscosmos CEO mentioned some likely ways of dealing with the space debris problem, such as taking them into deep space or collecting them for disposal.

A contract for the development of a preliminary design of a nuclear-powered tug, to be used in deep space flights, was signed in December 2020 between Roscosmos and the Arsenal design bureau (part of the state corporation). The contract’s value is estimated at 4.17 billion rubles. It is to be completed by July 28, 2024. The Russian Academy of Sciences’ space research institute (IKI) conducts research for this mission.

The Tsiolkovsky film festival is running in Kaluga from April 12 to 16. It was organized with support from the Ministry of Culture, the state corporation Roscosmos, the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, the government and the Ministry of Culture of the Kaluga Region, the Rossotrudnichestvo agency, the State Museum of Cosmonautics History named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky, the Association of Planetariums of Russia and other non-profit and commercial organizations. TASS is the festival’s main media partner.

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