MOSCOW, June 27. /TASS/. Mikhail Kovalchuk, the president of the Kurchatov Institute, has expressed optimism about Russia’s potential to become a pioneer in deep space exploration, leveraging unique technological capabilities. In an interview with Rossiya-24, he highlighted the strategic importance of developing new competencies for interplanetary travel.
“The goal is to acquire new exclusive expertise: flights into deep space and the exploration of extraterrestrial bodies – namely the Moon, Mars, and asteroids,” Kovalchuk stated. “This is a new frontier of activity. To venture there and explore the Moon, we must develop advanced technologies.”
Addressing recent statements by American entrepreneur Elon Musk regarding Mars and lunar missions, Kovalchuk dismissed them as mere slogans.
“A one-way trip to Mars takes approximately 250 days, with the same duration for the return journey – about a year and a half of continuous flight. During such a voyage, technical failures are inevitable – after 50 or 200 days, some systems can break down. That essentially ends the mission before it truly begins. Musk’s claims of transporting millions of people sound more like fairy tales than feasible plans,” he remarked.
Kovalchuk emphasized that Russia’s immediate focus should be on the Moon. “We need to prioritize developing lunar infrastructure,” he said. Additionally, he proposed establishing a space hub in a near-Earth orbit to facilitate transportation from Earth to a future Russian orbital station. From this station, missions to the Moon and beyond could be launched, creating a streamlined pathway into the depths of space.