MOSCOW, January 23. /TASS/. The Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) serves as a cutting-edge laboratory where groundbreaking scientific research is conducted today, cosmonaut Sergey Mikayev has said.

Together with fellow cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, a TASS special correspondent aboard the ISS, and Oleg Platonov, Mikayev recorded a heartfelt video greeting for the staff and students of Lomonosov Moscow State University, which will celebrate its 271st anniversary on January 25. They also extended their congratulations to students across the country in honor of Russian Student Day. The first to view this message from space were participants at a gala meeting hosted by MSU Rector Viktor Sadovnichy on Friday.

"The Russian segment of the ISS is a true laboratory where remarkable science is being carried out in collaboration with colleagues on Earth," Mikayev remarked. "We hope that soon we will witness the realization of Moscow State University’s vision - a space telescope dedicated to searching for exoplanets. As the Russian orbital station is actively being designed, perhaps some of the minds present here in this very hall - the Main Building of MSU - will be instrumental in turning these plans into reality."

He also emphasized the shared spirit between cosmonauts and students: a disciplined training or flight program and a relentless pursuit of innovation and discovery.

A telescope to seek life in the Universe

Earlier, Sadovnichy announced an ambitious project: a space telescope being developed at Moscow State University, with plans to launch it by the end of the decade. Equipped with advanced capabilities, this telescope aims to conduct detailed studies of potentially habitable worlds beyond Earth. In an interview with TASS, Sadovnichy also shared plans for university staff to participate in lunar and deep-space missions. Additionally, he reported that MSU scientists successfully established contact with and took control of the CubeSat research satellite Scorpion, launched on December 28 from the Vostochny spaceport. This marks MSU’s 21st spacecraft in orbit. Scorpion will monitor Earth's radiation environment and contribute to astrophysical research by studying phenomena such as light bursts, gamma radiation, and particle fluxes.

Russian Students’ Day is celebrated annually on January 25. Its origins trace back to 1755 when Empress Elizabeth signed the decree establishing Moscow University, Russia’s oldest and largest higher education institution. The holiday also honors St. Tatiana of Rome, an early Christian martyr revered as the patron saint of students and MSU. This dual significance gives the day its other name - Tatiana’s Day - celebrating both academic achievement and historical tradition.