MOSCOW, April 13 (Xinhua) -- "Instead of simply flying, we are here working, helping advance science and gain new knowledge about human life in space, so that we can go even further in exploring the universe," Russian cosmonaut Sergei Mikayev said in a message beamed down to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS), hundreds of kilometers above the planet.
His message came as Russia marked its national Space Week from April 6 to 12 to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the historic flight of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to travel into outer space. Gagarin's historic 1961 spaceflight is now commemorated annually on April 12 as Cosmonautics Day.
A nationwide digital campaign in Russia brought history to life this year, recreating Gagarin's mission in real time. Starting at 09:07 local time in each time zone, screens across the country displayed his iconic "Let's go!" and culminated at 10:53 with the words "We have landed!" -- mirroring the precise duration of humanity's first leap into space.
BEYOND LAUNCHPAD
More than six decades after Gagarin's flight, space exploration remains a cornerstone of Russia's national strategy.
In a message on Sunday, President Vladimir Putin said that space capabilities have greatly contributed to Russia's innovation, economic development, national security and sovereignty.
Over the past year alone, Russia has carried out 17 launches and sent 97 spacecraft into orbit, with industry revenues exceeding 500 billion rubles (6.5 billion U.S. dollars).
According to Dmitry Bakanov, head of Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos, Russia's rocket and space industry currently employs some 165,000 people across roughly 110 enterprises in 33 regions. Average monthly salary in the sector grew by 16 percent over the past year to around 118,000 rubles (1526 dollars).
More than 1,000 events encompassing educational, cultural, academic and sports activities were held during the Space Week, reaching tens of millions of people nationwide, Bakanov said, adding that more than 12 million people watched space-themed films in cinemas.
ENGINEERED FOR FUTURE
At the first Russian Space Forum in Moscow, the central event of the Space Week, officials outlined an ambitious roadmap to strengthen Russia's technological capability and long-term presence in space.
First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov announced that Russia plans to launch the first prototype of the Amur-SPG returnable first-stage rocket in 2028. Powered by liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen, the rocket is expected to slash launch costs.
State nuclear corporation Rosatom has tested a plasma rocket engine for space and obtained unique results, said Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev. "This is, of course, a qualitative advantage over chemical solutions," he noted.
Russia is also expanding its satellite constellation, with the first batch of 16 low-Earth orbit satellites for broadband internet services already deployed, said Roscosmos chief Bakanov. The Soyuz-5 medium-class carrier rocket is also set to make its debut launch, he said.
Looking further ahead, Russia is designing a national orbital space station to gradually replace the ISS starting in 2028, Bakanov said, noting that long-term plans also include the revival of nuclear-powered rocket engines to support future lunar missions and deep space exploration.
A SHARED HORIZON
As humanity pushes further into the cosmos, the path forward lies not in isolation, but in cooperation.
While attending the Russian Space Forum, Bian Zhigang, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, said that the complexity of space exploration and aerospace engineering requires joint efforts from countries and institutions.
"Exploring the mysteries of the universe demands collective breakthroughs in deep-space technologies; addressing climate change calls for coordinated global monitoring through remote-sensing satellites; and improving people's livelihoods relies on applying space technologies to urban planning, resource exploration and disaster prevention," Bian said.
Christian Feichtinger, executive director of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), said the IAF has maintained long-standing cooperation with China, and sees growing opportunities for global engagement. "China's achievements in space have drawn worldwide attention and opened new avenues for cooperation."
Lev Zeleny, scientific director of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that Russia and China have broad potential for cooperation in areas including the exploration of Venus and other celestial bodies, Sun-Earth physics, deep-space astrophysics, and the development of space telescopes.
In 2021, China and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding regarding cooperation for the construction of the International Lunar Research Station.
Collaboration is also expanding into education and talent development. Alexander Vedekhin, an official with Russia's Ministry of Science and Higher Education, told Xinhua that during his visit to south China's Hainan Province more than a year ago, the two sides reached a consensus on jointly developing students' professional skills in the space sector, noting that Russia plans to expand such joint training programs to other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS starting from 2027.
Humbulani Mudau, head of the South African National Space Agency, told Xinhua that global space cooperation not only facilitates technological progress and talent development, but enables emerging space nations to participate in global space governance, share the benefits of the space economy, and advance related international initiatives. ■