MINSK, 28 September (BelTA) – Belarus and Russia are set to approve the new space program Complex-SG, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Vladimir Gusakov said at the expert and media forum “Belarus-Russia cooperation in industry, science and technology. Science. Cosmos. Education”, BelTA has learned.
“Russian and Belarusian government agencies have completed procedures to approve the Union State new space program “Development of basic elements of orbital and ground-based facilities to create multi-satellite system of small spacecraft for observing the Earth's surface and near-Earth space” codenamed Complex-SG. The government of Belarus has already approved this program, the relevant documents have been sent to the Union State Standing Committee for further consideration and approval by the Union State Council of Ministers,” said Vladimir Gusakov.
In addition to that, the Union State science and technology program Integration-SG is currently running. It involves the creation of uniform standards, software and hardware and methodological support with a view to improving the system to deliver highly demanded remote sensing data and its processing products to Belarusian and Russian consumers. “There are plans to create a total of 60 internationally harmonized standards that normalize the requirements for remote sensing data and the way it is provided to consumers in Belarus and Russia, of which Russia will develop 39 standards and Belarus 21,” the chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences informed.
All in all, since 1999, seven Union State space programs have been successfully implemented. They were designed to expand the common scientific, technological and information space of the two countries, integrate intellectual and production resources, including ground-based and orbital space facilities.
The first Union State science and technology program Cosmos-BR was developed and implemented in 1999-2002. It helped resume contacts and rebuild cooperation between Russian and Belarusian enterprises, universities and organizations working in the space sector. The Cosmos-SG program that ran in 2004-2007 helped lay the foundation for the Belarusian space system for remote Earth sensing. In 2008-2011, the third Union State space program Cosmos-NT was implemented. It allowed creating hardware and software complexes for thematic space data processing and improving the Belarusian center for receiving space information. “The implementation of the Cosmos-NT program ensured the successful completion of the first stage of creation of Belarus' own national space system for remote sensing of the Earth, as a result of which our country was recognized as a space power,” Vladimir Gusakov stressed.
Other Union State programs that were implemented included Nanotechnologies-SG (nanotechnologies to develop materials, devices and systems of space equipment), Standardization-SG (68 national standards for space activities), Monitoring-SG (technologies to use remote sensing data, small-sized airborne special and scientific equipment, materials and elements with improved specifications, new means and technologies for processing space data), Technology-SG (technologies to use new solutions to produce nanomaterials, nanocoatings and nanoelectronics in the rocket and space industry).
