Russia?s space authority must set conditions for space service business, not do business itself?expert

The federal space exploration authority?s job is not to do space service business in Russia all on its own but rather to create prerequisites for the emergence of such business, a sector expert believes.

Roscosmos, the federal government authority in charge of Russia?s space exploration program, should not engage in space service business in Russia all on its own; its job is to create prerequisites for the emergence of such business, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the opinion of an unnamed Russian expert in rocket engineering and space exploration. ?It?s hardly a task for a government body to run an industry. Roscosmos must assume the role of the developer of terms and conditions that would facilitate the creation of space service business in this country. The agency is expected to generate initiatives to stimulate Russia?s private space business,? the expert told RIA in an interview. In a separate statement, Russian vice premier Dmitry Rogozin complained earlier this week that, in fact, ?the federal space exploration agency has kept itself aloof from solving a critical problem of kindling domestic demand for space services, focusing exclusively on spacecraft launches...