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AI to help create new Russian Orbital Station — chief designer

Russia is set to launch the future orbital outpost’s first research and energy module in 2027

MOSCOW, July 2. /TASS/. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies will help create the future Russian Orbital Station (ROS) but the larger part of the work will be carried out by humans, Energia Space Rocket Corporation Deputy Chief Designer, ROS Chief Designer Vladimir Kozhevnikov said on Tuesday.

"Artificial intelligence is quickly developing technology. We will use its support but basically we will use our brains, of course," the ROS chief designer said during a live broadcast on the Rossiya-24 television channel.

Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos Head Yury Borisov approved earlier on Tuesday a general schedule for creating the Russian Orbital Station through 2033.

Russia is set to launch the future orbital outpost’s first research and energy module in 2027. There are also plans to launch the universal nodal, gateway and baseline modules by 2030 to form the core orbital station together with the research and energy module.

At the second stage, from 2031 to 2033, the station is set to expand by docking two special-purpose modules (TsM1 and TsM2).

The project is estimated at 608.9 billion rubles (about $6.98 billion).

In addition, Roscosmos signed contracts on July 2 on carrying out R&D work on creating the orbital outpost’s space segment and a system with next-generation manned spacecraft and an Angara heavy carrier rocket to service it.

The approved general schedule of creating the ROS envisages the new spacecraft’s flight tests, the creation of carrier rockets and ground infrastructure facilities and work by the space industry’s research institutes to provide support for the project.

The ROS creation will help continue Russia’s human spaceflight program, considering its exit from the project of the International Space Station (ISS), address the tasks of scientific-technical development, the national economy and state security that cannot be implemented on the ISS due to technological restrictions and international agreements. The Russian Orbital Station will help raise the competitive edge of Russian manned space systems and test advanced space technologies.

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