MOSCOW, November 29. /TASS/. Russia’s future national orbital station (ROS) may receive its own name, like its predecessors Salyut, Almaz and Mir, and there is a possibility of holding a public debate to choose it, Roscosmos Director General Yuri Borisov has told TASS in an interview.

"This would be a good idea. I even think that a public debate to choose an acceptable name is possible. I have no objections," he said, when asked about the station’s possible name.

The official added that he has not yet pondered on the question.

"At this point, my thoughts are about making the [space] industry efficient and technology-packed. I have not yet thought about the name," he said, adding that the team, working on the project at the Energia rocket and space corporation (part of Roscosmos) may also be involved in the process of choosing the future station's name.

In April 2021, then-Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said that the condition of the International Space Station left much to be desired and Russia might focus on creating its own orbital outpost. Work on the future orbital station’s conceptual design is currently underway. The project is estimated at approximately 609 billion rubles ($6.5 bln), Borisov said last month. In his words, the project is open for international cooperation as Russia has already invited African countries and BRICS partners to participate in it.

Deputy Chief Designer of the Energia Space Rocket Corporation (part of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos), ROS Chief Designer Vladimir Kozhevnikov told TASS in February that Russia would launch the first research/energy module at the end of 2027 and the nodal, gateway, basic and special-purpose modules in 2028-2030.