The new administrator of the American space agency, Jim Bridenstine, told MSU students about the plans of his department.
Not so long ago, Jim Bridenstein, appointed head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, during his first visit to Moscow, asked to organize a meeting with students. He was offered Baumanka and MAI, where the people are cosmically savvy. But he refused:
- Only Moscow State University (it can be assumed that this is the only abbreviation of a Russian university that he knew).
And he came to Moscow State University. And he spoke.
Students of the new faculty - space research - were allowed into the hall of the Moscow State University Fundamental Library according to the lists. The guys turned out to be prepared. At least most of them gave up on headphones with translation and at the end of the meeting asked questions to the head of NASA in decent English.
Jim Bridenstein was brought into the hall by the head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin and the rector of Moscow State University Viktor Sadovnichy. Victor Antonovich reported on a piece of paper about the main achievements of the university in the field of space research. And Dmitry Olegovich noticed that in his biography and in the biography of James Frederick (or simply Jim) there is a lot in common. Jim was a naval pilot in his youth, and Rogozin has the rights to fly a helicopter. Jim was invited by Donald Trump to lead NASA after five years in the US Congress, where he served on the committees on the military, science, space and technology. Rogozin worked as a State Duma deputy.
True, Dmitry Olegovich did not head the institutions of culture and science, and after the end of his military career and before the start of his political career, Jim managed to lead the Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics in the town of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
By and large, Bridenstein is the first politician to serve as the head of the main US space agency. Previously, this position was held by engineers, military personnel and even several astronauts.
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Mr. Bridenstein's lecture lasted 13 minutes 44 seconds. In the first part, which was apparently prepared by the staff of the NASA office in Russia, all the correct names were sounded - Tsiolkovsky, Korolev, Gagarin, Tereshkova, Leonov. And the project of 1975 "Union" - "Apollo" was mentioned, which in the USA is called differently: "Apollo" - "Union".
The remaining seven minutes became the key, when Jim looked up from the cheat sheet prepared for him:
- NASA and Roscosmos have shown an example of one of the most successful joint projects in the history of mankind. The result of such work is the ISS.
And then he moved on to plans for the development of the moon. The task is to build a base on the Moon and establish a constant communication of spaceships between the Earth and the satellite of our planet. The key message of the speech of the main person at NASA, for whom, as I understood, the lecture was started:
- We would very much like Roscosmos to be involved in this project.
It is quite possible that the genre of the lecture was chosen to voice a response to the recent statements of the head of Roscosmos that Russia does not want to be a contractor in the construction of a lunar base, but will only agree to an equivalent partnership.
The head of NASA agreed: the United States will not be able to single-handedly build a lunar base, use the ice reserves found on the satellite to make rocket fuel and supply drinking water to lunar settlers.
“The moon,” Jim said. - This is a test site. Then the same colonization technologies worked out on the Moon will be applied on Mars. The joint work of countries to develop the solar system is an investment in the future of mankind.
One of the inquisitive students, when the lecture was over, asked - what will happen next - well, after humanity has conquered the Moon and Mars. Jim thought and said:
- Europe!
Bill Gerstenmeier, NASA's deputy chief in charge of the manned program, looked at his boss with interest.
But Jim explained:
- The US Congress also considers Europe an interesting place for research. Jupiter's moon may be the next object we visit. First, we'll send robots and rovers there. There is a large layer of ice on its surface, and below it is the ocean. It is quite possible that there is life in such an environment! We have a chance to find life within our own solar system.
Bridenstein and Sadovnichy exchanged souvenirs under a panel depicting Lomonosov. They shook hands and parted.
Negotiations between the heads of Roscosmos and NASA on further joint plans will take place in the coming days at Baikonur, where a rocket with a new crew for the ISS, Alexei Ovchinin and Nick Haig, is to launch on October 11.
ALEXANDER MILKUS
