The first manned flight to the moon of Russian cosmonauts will take place in 2031, RIA Novosti reports, referring to a document from TsNIIMash, the head scientific institute of the Roscosmos state corporation, that came into its possession. Thereafter, such flights are planned to be carried out annually. During the first expedition, the crew will be engaged in "performing work on the tasks of the RAS", the document explains.
A year later, a heavy controlled lunar rover is planned to be delivered to the Earth satellite, with the help of which the astronauts will be able to move along the surface. In the same year 2032, it is planned to conduct a second manned expedition, within which the Russian crew will be engaged in testing a manned lunar rover.
During the expedition in 2033, it is planned to carry out long trips on a heavy lunar rover, as well as to test some robotic systems, the details of which have not yet been reported. It is planned to start in 2034, and in 2035 - to continue the construction of the Russian lunar base. The working title of the expeditions is M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5.
Before the start of the manned expedition, in 2028 and 2029, it is planned to carry out two test launches of the new Yenisei super-heavy carrier rocket, which will be used for flights to the Moon. Its design should be completed by November this year. The most likely final appearance of the rocket involves the use of six lateral boosters based on RD-171MV engines, as well as a central unit with an RD-180 engine.
During the first test launch in 2028, it is planned to test the take-off and landing complex. In 2029, it is planned to fly around the moon using the model of the manned spacecraft "Federation".
As part of actual manned missions to the Moon, it is planned to carry out double launches of a new super-heavy launch vehicle. So, one of the rockets will launch a manned spacecraft into orbit, the second will send a take-off and landing complex to the Earth satellite for landing and subsequent take-off from the lunar surface, as well as other scientific and technical equipment.
Earlier, the head of the state corporation "Roscosmos" Dmitry Rogozin announced via Twitter about the assembly of the first RD-171MV engine for the Soyuz-5 rocket at the Energomash enterprise. The installation is being prepared for the first firing tests. Rogozin said that this engine has no equal in terms of power.
The RD-171MV is based on the RD-170, the world's most powerful liquid-propellant engine, various modifications of which were used in the Soviet super-heavy rocket Energia and the Russian-Ukrainian missiles of the Zenit family. According to the available information, upgrading the engine for use in the Soyuz-5 rocket will cost about 7 billion rubles. A fully working version of the engine is going to be delivered in 2021, and the first launch of the Soyuz-5 rocket based on this engine is scheduled for 2022.
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In a conversation with TASS reporters, Alexander Bloshenko, advisor to the general director of Roscosmos, said that the program to create the Yenisei rocket had not yet been approved by the Russian government. Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance did not allocate money for the project, so the question of a roadmap for the exploration of the Moon remains open.
The scientific adviser added that according to the decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first launch of the Yenisei launch vehicle should take place by 2028. However, "without understanding the volume and rate of funding for the program, it is impossible to develop a concept for flights and lunar exploration." Ultimately, not only manned expeditions are supposed to be launched to the moon. Before the implementation of such projects will require the development and launch of descent vehicles, the launch of relay satellites, lunar rovers for the movement of Russian expedition crews, automatic reconnaissance vehicles. So far, no one has allocated money for all this.
Nikolay Khizhnyak