Space expenses are filled into the systems – Newspaper Kommersant No. 37 (7482) dated 03/03/2023

The government and companies will allocate 481 billion rubles by 2030. on the development of space systems, follows from the profile “road map”. We are talking about the development of ground infrastructure, the launch of satellite communications constellations, the development and production of small spacecraft for remote sensing of the earth (ERS). The last direction, in particular, will be taken up by Sitronics and Gazprom structures. They plan to make money by selling satellite images and processed data to public and private entities. Experts consider the segment promising, noting its current weak development in the Russian Federation.

“Kommersant” got acquainted with the “road map” “Promising space systems and services for the period up to 2030”, prepared by “Roskosmos”. It follows from it that by 2030 the authorities intend to send about 481 billion rubles. (including 369.4 billion rubles of budget funds and 111 billion rubles of extra-budgetary funds) for the development and development of projects related to space communications, as well as satellite technologies and data processing based on satellite images.

Among the executors of the project are MIPT (development of equipment), Scanex (development of ground infrastructure), FSUE Space Communications (satellite communications and broadcasting technologies), Bureau 1440 (part of X Holding, launch of a satellite constellation), “ Gazprom. Space Systems and Gazprom SPKA, as well as Sitronics. The road map was approved in January, according to the government website. Gazprom, Roskosmos, FSUE Kosmicheskaya Svyaz, Scanex and Sitronics did not respond to Kommersant, X Holding declined to comment.

According to SPARK-Interfax, Scanex is owned by Sergey Nedoroslev (34.6%), Svetlana Nikolaeva (30%), Vasily Barashkov (21.3%) and Alexei Sharonov (13.3%). The company receives data from satellites to its own network of stations. Bureau 1440 is engaged in a project to launch a low-orbit satellite communications constellation (see Kommersant dated February 8). Sitronics is part of AFK Sistema, last summer it became known about the company’s plans to invest about 20 billion rubles. in the development and launch of its own satellite constellation (see Kommersant of June 6, 2022).

From the roadmap it follows that the structures of Gazprom and Sitronics will develop projects for the development and launch of small spacecraft (SSC) designed for remote sensing of the earth.

In particular, the implementation of Gazprom’s projects requires 37 billion rubles. until 2030 – for research and design work, as well as the production of satellites. This includes the development of a project for highly detailed radar imaging (Smotr-R) and the development, modernization and launch of the Yamal-502 satellites.

Sitronics, the document says, will invest 12.7 billion rubles in its project. The company intends in 2025 to master the serial production and testing of small satellites at its own sites, and then enter into service contracts for the supply of satellite data. The government plans to support the project by providing demand for data: about 40 billion rubles will be allocated from the budget for this purpose.

Remote sensing is necessary to obtain data on the surface of the planet through specialized surveys. They are needed, for example, to record climate change, ship navigation, the Internet of things and emergency prevention. Remote sensing is used, for example, by the Ministry of Emergency Situations for monitoring fire hazardous zones. In November 2022, the head of Roskosmos, Yuri Borisov, said in an interview with TASS that in 2020 alone, the global volume of this market amounted to $1.6 billion, and by 2030 it will grow to $5 billion.

Remote sensing data also have a wide commercial application, says T1 Group CEO Igor Kalganov. This technology, he clarifies, can be used to monitor farmland, assess the state of large infrastructure facilities, environmental monitoring, etc. use different orbits with the creation of laser communication channels between them,” he emphasizes.

“Abroad, it is difficult to find a technological university where there are no startups that plan to launch remote sensing satellites or use big data processing technologies to structure images and sell them to the needs of customers,” adds Sergey Pekhterev, Ka-Internet shareholder. He notes that Russia has satellites that provide remote sensing, but they “belong to the state and the military and fulfill the corresponding purposes, so there is no talk of a wide commercial implementation.” Kommersant’s interlocutor in a large IT company clarifies that now Russian companies are buying foreign remote sensing images, mainly data from Chinese satellites.

Nikita Korolev, Vadim Krasnikov