Russia's leading space cpmpany, the state controlled RKK Enterprises took time Tuesday to lay out it's plans that would send out a manned mission to the moon by 2015, along with the construction of a permanant moon base, and dispatch of a crew to Mars between 2020-2030.
The ambitious vision presented by Nikolai Sevastyanov, is relying heavily on outside investment, but has been called into question because of little to no government funds to help invest in the feasibillity of the plan.
"We believe that we can fly a manned mission landing before 2015 funded by sources outside the state budget" Stevastyanov commented in a news conference, but wouldn't release te names of private funders for the project.
Russian officials have spoken of support for lunar, and Mars missions, but have made no definate commitments as of yet towards funding.
Sevastyanov also stated that Energiya, the company responsable for production of the Soyuz, and Progress spacecraft which ferry crews and supplies to the International Space Station would rely on those vechiles exclusively during the first phase of the program. This phase, would offer commercial space flights around the moon using a Soyuz capsule which could be built as early as 2009.
The next phase, plans on employing a reusable craft now under development called the "Clipper" The Clipper would have 6 seats, compared to three on the Soyuz capsule, would ferry cew to the I.S.S. and possibly become the basis for future lunar missions.
The Clipper design could be commissioned as early as somewhere between 2012-2015 Sevastyanov said.
