MOSCOW The meteoric rise to power of acting Russian President Vladimir Putin might lead to a desperately needed revival in the nations space and defense industries, independent experts and elite cosmonauts told space.com.
The resuscitation of Russias once-vaunted space program, meanwhile, also could be good news for cooperative efforts with the United States, such as the stalled construction of NASAs $60 billion International Space Station (ISS).
"It is obvious that Putin can do something," said Vladimir Titov, a former Russian cosmonaut and current chief of the Moscow division of the Boeing Co., prime contractor for the U.S. segment of the international station.
"If he manages to improve the situation in the Russian space industry in general, it will certainly be good for U.S.-Russian cooperation in space, particularly for the International Space Station program."
The situation "is so bad right now that it cannot become worse," added veteran cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who will serve as flight engineer on the first full-time resident crew at the station. "Putin will have no choice but to straighten things up."
"It is obvious that Putin can do something."
Considered the front-runner in presidential elections now set for March 26, Putin stepped in as acting head of the Russian Federation when Boris Yeltsin resigned December 31, 1999.
A former KGB officer, Putin emerged from relative obscurity and began a skyrocketing ascent to power when he was appointed acting Prime Minister of the Russian Federation on August 9, 1999.
Putin to date has made no concrete statements regarding his stance on space exploration or U.S.-Russian cooperation in space.
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| Putin profile: born Oct. 7, 1952, in Leningrad; graduated from law school of Leningrad State University; became a KGB officer in 1975; earned the Russian equivalent of Ph.D. in economics in 1996; fluent in English and German. |
In 1990, Putin became an assistant for international affairs of the LGU Vice-President; that year he also became an advisor to the then Chairman of the Leningrad Council (the supreme ruling body of the city under the Soviet Union). |
July 1995: Putin was appointed Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB). March 1999: he was appointed a Secretary of the Security Council; August 9, 1999: he was appointed as acting prime minister of the Russian Federation; August 16: the Duma approved his nomination; December 31, 1999: Putin became theacting president of Russia. |
Experts say thats not surprising: With the nation still struggling to emerge from severe economic depression, space exploration is definitely not at the top of his agenda.
In fact, former Vice Prime Minister Alexander Shokhin said Putin still is building support for the election and will not take any steps that might meet with a mixed reaction from different Russian political forces.
Any sudden increase in spending on space exploration or conversely, the cancellation of projects inevitably would find both critics and supporters among Russian politicians, Shokhin said.
That said, many within the Russian space community believe that the relatively young and energetic Putin probably will move to rejuvenate it.
"Putin is a statesman and will definitely pay more attention to one of the symbols of the modern Russian statehood, which is the Russian space program," said Sergey Zhukov, president of the Moscow Space Club.
Added Boris Kantemirov, an independent aerospace expert and Academician of the Russian Cosmonautics Academy: "Putin should understand the importance of space industry. He is active and very well educated. He should have a much better vision of the future than his predecessor."
Kantemirov and others say Putin already is making moves indicative of his support for space exploration. In the past two months alone, Putin:
- Indicated he would support the launch of additional crews to Russias aging Mir space station, which was abandoned last year and was scheduled to be sent on a fiery plunge into the Pacific Ocean this summer. A final decision on the fate of Mir is expected January 20 when the Russian government takes up the issue.
- Supervised the completion of an investigation into the October 27 failure of a Russian Proton rocket. The failure and subsequent rocket modifications will delay until August launch of an all-important Russian command and control module to the ISS.
- Played a key role in persuading the government of Kazakhstan to allow Russia to continue launching space missions from Baikonur Cosmodrome.
- Visited the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia and spoke with workers at the military space launch site. He oversaw the launch of the new Russian Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile from the cosmodrome.
- Personally signed a government decree that gave Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center the go-ahead to launch foreign payloads on Angara rockets, a move that will enable the company to conduct moneymaking satellite-delivery missions on the new launcher.
"There are encouraging signs," said Khrunichev spokesman Sergei Zhiltsov.
But there also are formidable challenges. One of the most serious: Recruiting a new generation of space workers to replace scores of engineers and technicians who have retired or moved on to other jobs in the past several years.
"One of the major problems of the industry which Putin has to solve is how to get young people back to the space program," Kantemirov said. "The average age of the industrys employees is 50 years."
Despite the ongoing "brain drain" and severe financial problems, Kantemirov and other experts believe Putin who is considered a hard-line politician not only will spearhead an aerospace industry resurgence but also will foster cooperative efforts with the U.S. government and Western aerospace businesses.
"Putins policy is flexible and hard at the same time. I dont think that he will let the Americans become the only owners of the International Space Station," said Kantemirov.
Added veteran cosmonaut Vladimir Dezhurov: "He certainly will not neglect such a promising and profitable field of activity in Russia as space exploration."
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