How Vladimir Putin from Korolev reached out to Korolev. Report by Andrey Kolesnikov.

Late in the evening of October 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the city of Korolev, at the Rocket and Space Corporation (RSC) Energia, where he spent several hours working on space issues. Kommersant special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov notes that, of course, interesting details emerged, but somehow they turned out to be far from us, earthly and sinful.

At the main entrance to RSC Energia, which, however, is not at all noticeable from the Yaroslavl highway, you notice a monument to Lenin. The leader sits wrapped in overgrown spruce branches with a crumpled cap in his hand, and is not at all like in other places: tired, running away, somehow dissatisfied with himself, having not accomplished something important, without which he does not even have the strength to properly straighten his shoulders and look back victoriously all around. It seemed to me an outstanding monument to a very humane person for whom something important in his destiny did not work out. And indeed it is so.

When entering the administrative building, you see a large monitor on the left, which reflects the life of the corporation. Here, in a cloud of fire and smoke on one half of the monitor, a rocket launches towards something larger, and on the other half of the monitor it is reported that applications are being accepted for a list of in-demand specialties. And here they are, these specialties: a rotary turner, a blacksmith with hammers and presses, a compound pourer, a carver with hacksaws and machine tools… “We are waiting for you at our factory!” – the monitor informs the new arrivals in huge multi-colored letters on the right. And on the left – “Characteristics of a flight to the Moon: landing accuracy… frequency of use…” On the right they are waiting for a toolmaker and a metal cutter, on the left they are demonstrating the structure and secret springs of a manned transport ship (PTK), which RSC Energia is creating for flights to the moon.

There is no need for IT specialists. There are not enough blacksmiths.

The press center was organized right in the office (its size allowed), where the work history of two former general designers of RSC Energia, academicians Viktor Legostaev and Evgeny Mikrin, and one current one was developed. There is even an office of Sergei Pavlovich Korolev here in this building, in which he worked, however, not for long, but the main thing is that he came here in person. This is enough to make a mere mortal rejoice.

And now mere mortals in the office of the general designer are waiting eight hours for Vladimir Putin to appear here in person. By eight o’clock in the evening he showed up, walked through the workshops and met with young scientists.

As one might expect, the details came to light. For example, about one of the space projects.

— As for the Sphere project, don’t we have government support? — the president became interested. “Yes, of course.” Moreover… What was it originally called? Ah, “Ether”… At one of my public speeches I misspoke and said “Sphere”… The former head of Roscosmos (then still acting) also came to the Kremlin. A.K.) I say: “Sorry, Dima (Dmitry Rogozin.— A.K.), I misspoke. He said – the “Sphere” project.” – “And this is the “Sphere” project!” – “How? I misspoke!” “No,” he says, “we’ve already rewritten everything!” I haven’t even gotten there yet, but the project is already called “Sphere”. “Okay,” I say, “don’t rewrite it back now!”

It becomes more or less clear why Dmitry Rogozin had such a strong position in Roscosmos for so long. He knew how to react in a timely manner.

Answering the question “where will we fly next when flights to the International Space Station are over,” Mr. Putin supported the idea of ​​​​creating the Russian Orbital Station (ROS) and the reusable Amur launch vehicle:

— We all must understand: without manned astronautics, we will not be able to develop space services… The goal is that there are no gaps… In 2027, the first segment (of the Russian orbital station.— A.K.) must be launched into orbit.

As for the LNG-powered Amur, which another relatively young scientist was worried about:

“It all depends on the cost of one kilogram launched into orbit,” Mr. Putin nodded. “Well, not everything, but a lot.” And from a competitiveness point of view. Therefore, such a device that you are talking about, a reusable rocket, is, of course, very much in demand. What, they cut funding?.. Yuri Ivanovich (Mr. Borisov, the current head of Roscosmos.— A.K.), why aren’t you complaining? You should always complain. Ask for more – they will give less. Let’s not quit this job. She is in demand.

There was also a conversation about the absurdly crashed Luna 25.

“This story really upset us,” admitted the developer of the device.

“Me too,” Mr. Putin admitted in response. “I’ll tell you honestly…

“Right now we have plans for Luna-26, the orbital vehicle, and Luna-27, the landing vehicle…” the scientist reported calmly. “Let’s not stop!”

— When is our next device planned? In 2027? — the Russian president asked the head of Roscosmos.

– Yes. And there are even plans to move it to the left, by 2026… said Yuri Borisov.

– I was not mistaken! 2027! – Vladimir Putin exclaimed. “We don’t plan to close it.” And mistakes… Well, such a complex field of activity… It’s a shame… It’s a shame for everyone… I assure you… But nothing… – Mr. Putin consoled. – This is astronautics… Space exploration… Difficult tasks … Everyone understands… No one landed on the moon in this place… On the cap on this… The lunar program will continue.

At the end of the conversation there were fascinating special conversations. Vladimir Putin was asked not to close the program for updating the manned Soyuz spacecraft, so that the Soyuz, like the new spacecraft under construction, would fly from the Vostochny Cosmodrome to the new station, which is not even under construction yet. The request was from a person apparently working on this project.

Yes, here everyone, speaking about the future of astronautics and its significance for humanity, asked for himself, because he was certainly involved in one of the projects of this future.

Mr. Borisov was not very much in favor here. He said that the problem of the cosmonaut rescue system, which has not yet been resolved, is connected with Vostochny.

“Where there is a problem with the separation of stages, usually all these troubles arise,” the current general designer of RSC Energia, Vladimir Solovyov, entered the conversation. “ROS, I reported to you, will fly (from Vostochny.— A.K.) in polar orbit. This is a different inclination, and there we pass, well, not over very good, but our territories, there is land…

– How is it not over very good ones? – Mr. Putin interrupted. “If it’s ours, it means it’s very good.”

But the general designer was in no mood to joke:

— Swamps… There are swamps… And when we go out into the Arctic Ocean zone, it’s just cold there… But there’s not five points of the Pacific Ocean, and the search is much easier, since there are landing airfields… So we’re from the East ready to launch precisely into our supposed polar orbit of 96 degrees… Therefore, it is really necessary, but… If we take care of the launch at Baikonur, we will be able to continue all this work there… And if you fly from Vostochny, you need to think about the rescue system above Pacific Ocean…

It was all some kind of space, to be honest.

And on the ground, in the center of Moscow, Hamas was now operating.

Andrey Kolesnikov