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With the deepening of space exploration, the moon has significant value for scientific research. However, because of such research's costs and risks, international cooperation will be critical for the future lunar exploration. In 2021, China and Russia jointly initiated the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project and released the Guide for Partnership (V1.0). However, the basic regulatory framework for creating the ILRS project is not yet in place, posing a challenge to pursuing this complex and technically ambitious endeavor. The paradigm of international cooperation that was the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project set a good example of how scientific research could transcend geographic boundaries. This paper examines the ITER Agreement, the constitutive agreement of the ITER, and analyzes the successful experience of large-scale international cooperation on a complex scientific project. Then, in view of the characteristics of the ILRS project and the existing space law, the main elements of a regulatory framework for international cooperation on this project are proposed, which follows the ITER Agreement closely. The paper concludes that such a regulatory framework for international cooperation on the ILRS project may contribute to the peaceful exploration and use of the moon, thus promoting the well-being and interests of humankind. • The moon has significant value for scientific research. • International cooperation will be critical for the future lunar exploration. • A regulatory framework for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) is not in place. • The paradigm of international cooperation on the ITER set a good example. • The main elements of a regulatory framework for the ILRS are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of cataloged debris produced, the anti-satellite test carried out by Russia, in November 2021, at an altitude of about 480 km, leading to the destruction of the old satellite Cosmos 1408, was the second worst to date and represented the third worst fragmentation in orbit. It generated more than 1/4 of the cataloged debris produced over 55 years by all such tests and almost twice as many as were produced by all previous Soviet tests. After placing this event in its historical context, this paper analyzes in detail how the evolution of the Cosmos 1408 debris cloud affected the environment below 600 km in the first seven months, focusing on the two operational space stations and the Starlink large constellation of satellites. During the first six months following the test, the Cosmos 1408 cloud of fragments nearly doubled the average flux of cataloged objects on the International Space Station and increased by about 3/4 that on China's Tiangong. In the same period, the Starlink large constellation saw an average increase in the flux of cataloged objects of about 20%. Some orbital planes, the "counter-rotating" ones with respect to the Cosmos 1408 debris cloud, were more affected than others, and the affected planes gradually changed over time, due to the differential precession of cloud and constellation nodes. However, being the Starlink constellation 70 km higher up, the flux of Cosmos 1408 cataloged debris steadily decreased over the period analyzed, due to the cloud orbital decay, reducing to just over a quarter of its extrapolated initial value after seven months. • A review of ASAT tests as a source of orbital debris was presented. • The impact of the Cosmos 1408 destruction was put into context. • The cataloged debris flux increase on space stations was computed and discussed. • The debris flux increase and evolution on Starlink orbit planes was analyzed. • A moratorium on this type of ASAT tests was recommended, including low LEO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on extraterrestrial civilisations in Russia date back to the end of the 19th century. The modern period of SETI studies began in the USSR in the early 1960s. The first edition of the I.S. Shklovsky's book Universe, Life, Intelligence published in 1962 was a founding stone of SETI research in the USSR. A number of observational projects in radio and optical domains were conducted in the 1960s–1990s. Theoretical studies focused on defining optimal spectral domains for search of artificial electromagnetic signals, selection of celestial targets in search for ETI, optimal methods for encoding and decoding of interstellar messages, estimating the magnitude of astro-engineering activity of ETI, and developing philosophical background of the SETI problem. Later, in the 1990s and in the first two decades of the 21st century, in spite of acute underfunding and other problems facing the scientific community in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, SETI-oriented research continued. In particular, SETI collaborations conducted a number of surveys of Sun-like stars in the Milky Way, searched for Dyson spheres and artificial optical signals. Several space broadcasting programs were conducted too, including a radio transmission toward selected stars. Serious rethinking was given to incentives for passive and active participation of space civilisations in SETI and CETI. This paper gives an overview of past SETI activities. It also gives a comprehensive list of publications by authors from Russia, the Soviet Union and the post-Soviet space, as well as some SETI publications by other authors. The rich heritage of SETI research presented in the paper might offer a potentially useful background and starting point for developing strategy and specific research programs of the near future. • Search for extraterrestrial intelligence as a multi-disciplinary science topic. • A century-long history of studies on cosmic civilisations in Russia and USSR. • A comprehensive list of references on search of extraterrestrial intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In 2013, the well-known Chelyabinsk meteor entered the Earth's atmosphere over Chelyabinsk, Russia. It is estimated that the meteor exploded at altitude near 30 km, which damaged thousands of buildings and injured a thousand of residents. The estimated size of the meteor is approximately 20 m. Because the meteor approached to Earth from Sun direction, no ground-based observatories could not detect until the impact. Considering such situations, the paper proposes a concept to detect Chelyabinsk-class small Near-Earth Objects. The concept addresses a "last-minute" warning system of NEO impact, in the same manner of "Tsunami" warning. To achieve the mission objective, two locations are assumed for the space telescope installation point i.e., Sun-Earth Lagrange point 1, SEL1 and Artificial Equilibrium Point, AEP. SEL1 is one of the natural equilibrium points, on the other hand, AEP is artificially equilibrated point by Sun and Earth gravity, centrifugal force and low-thrust acceleration. The magnitude of the acceleration to keep AEP is sufficiently small near 1 au radius orbit around the Sun i.e., the order of μm/s2 which can be achieved by solar sail. Through some cases of numerical simulations considering the size of NEOs and detector capability, this paper will show the feasibility of the proposed concept. Highlights • This is a concept study of a hazardous NEO detection and impact warning system. • It is assumed to use space-based telescopes to detect virtual impactors before the impact. • Sun-Earth L1 point and Artificial Equilibrium Point are used for space-telescope. • SEL1 case shows the deficiency to detect NEOs in-coming from Sun-direction. • On the other hand, AEP case shows almost 100% detectability of NEOs.5th IAA Planetary Defense Conference – PDC 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The two-day stay of crew in a limited inhabited volume of the Soyuz-TMA spacecraft till docking to ISS is one of the most stressful parts of space flight. In this paper a number of possible ways to reduce the duration of the free flight phase are considered. The duration is defined by phasing strategy that is necessary for reduction of the phase angle between the chaser and target spacecraft. Some short phasing strategies could be developed. The use of such strategies creates more comfortable flight conditions for crew thanks to short duration and additionally it allows saving spacecraft’s life support resources. The transition from the methods of direct spacecraft rendezvous using one orbit phasing (first flights of “Vostok” and “Soyuz” vehicles) to the currently used methods of two-day rendezvous mission can be observed in the history of Soviet manned space program. For an advanced Russian human rated spacecraft the short phasing strategy is recommended, which can be considered as a combination between the direct and two-day rendezvous missions. The following state of the art technologies are assumed available: onboard accurate navigation; onboard computations of phasing maneuvers; launch vehicle with high accuracy injection orbit, etc. Some operational requirements and constraints for the strategies are briefly discussed. In order to provide acceptable phase angles for possible launch dates the experience of the ISS altitude profile control can be used. As examples of the short phasing strategies, the following rendezvous missions are considered: direct ascent, short mission with the phasing during 3–7 orbits depending on the launch date (nominal or backup). For each option statistical modeling of the rendezvous mission is fulfilled, as well as an admissible phase angle range, accuracy of target state vector and addition fuel consumption coming out of emergency is defined. In this paper an estimation of pros and cons of all options is conducted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

During the Spring of 1993, at the request of the US President, the Space Station partners, under the leadership of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), undertook a fundamental redesign of the Space Station and the manner by which NASA would manage the program. Coincident with the 1993 redesign, NASA initiated discussions with the Russian Federation with the view to Russia becoming a partner in the Space Station Program. This resulted in the partners (the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan) issuing, on December 6, 1993, an invitation to Russia to enter into negotiations to become a partner in the International Space Station Program.Originally, the negotiations were intended to center exclusively around the changes required to the government and agency-level Space Station Agreements to bring Russia into the partnership, and to reflect the changes resulting from the 1993 redesign. After the commencement of the negotiations it became necessary to also reflect changes due to restructuring of the European and Canadian partners’ programs, and various desires of the partners to confirm in the legal framework new provisions for dealing with cost control and common operations activities.This paper provides a summary of the complex legal and programmatic multinational negotiations that took place between 1993 and 1997 on a multilateral Intergovernmental Agreement and four bilateral space agency-level Memoranda of Understanding.This paper puts these most recent negotiations in the context of the first set of agreements which were signed in September 1988, explains the process the original partners put in place for the 1993–1997 Round of negotiations, and the substantive issues that resulted together with the solutions agreed. The paper captures in one document the most relevant aspects of these important international negotiations, and complements those papers previously presented by the authors at the 45th and 47th Congresses of the International Astronautical Federation.11“Expanding the International Space Station Program Partnership—An International Partner''s Perspective” by Graham Gibbs, Canadian Space Agency, IAA-94-IAA.3.2.638.22“International Negotiations: The International Space Station Agreements” by Lynn F.H. Cline, U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, IAA-96-IAA.3.1.03. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Russia is a strategic partner for Europe, in particular in its space endeavour. However, in the past decade the Russian partner has significantly changed. Strengthened by a better economic situation, Russia is now reasserting strong ambitions, and its leadership aims to reaffirm the country''s position on the international scene. As a result, Russia''s international partnerships in the space field have evolved and the country has recently intensified relationships with China and India. This development has the potential to strongly impact Europe, its space activities and the relations between all those actors. This paper investigates the relations between Russia, India and China, their possible evolution and the consequences for Europe. It evaluates the potential impact on Europe''s space activities and on its cooperation with the Russian partner. It concludes with recommended actions to be taken by European decision-makers in order to maximise opportunities and minimise risks in this changing environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Following the decision taken during the ESA Council in December 2004 to start the “Soyuz at CSG” program funded by seven European countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland) and ARIANESPACE, activities began in French Guyana in January 2005 to build a new launch pad for the Russian Soyouz ST launcher, and in the Federation of Russia to build associated ground equipments and to adapt the launcher. This papers recalls the Soyuz launcher definition and its adaptations for a launch from CSG and presents the overall design of the Soyuz Launch pad together with the future launch operations. One and a half year after project kick-off, a status of the development is made and the planning of the remaining activities until the first flight end of 2008 is also given. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An experimental–computational system, which is developed at the Thermal Laboratory, Department Space Systems Engineering, Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI), is presented for investigating the thermal properties of composite materials by methods of inverse heat transfer problems. The system is aimed at investigating the materials in conditions of unsteady contact and/or radiation heating over a wide range of temperature changes and heating rates in a vacuum, air and inert gas medium. The paper considers the hardware components of the system, including the experiment facility and the automated system of control, measurement, data acquisition and processing, as well as the aspects of methodical support of thermal tests. In the next part the conception and realization of a computer code for experimental data processing to estimate the thermal properties of thermal-insulating materials is given. The most promising direction in further development of methods for non-destructive composite materials using the procedure of solving inverse problems is the simultaneous determination of a combination of their thermal and radiation properties. The general method of iterative regularization is concerned with application to the estimation of materials properties (e.g., example: thermal conductivity and heat capacity ). Such problems are of great practical importance in the study of material properties used as non-destructive surface shield in objects of space engineering, power engineering, etc. In the third part the results of practical implementation of hardware and software presented in the previous two parts are given for the estimating of thermal properties of thermal-insulating materials. The main purpose of this study is to confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of the methods developed and hardware equipment for determining thermal properties of particular modern high porous materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Attitude dynamics of the first Russian nanosatellite TNS-0 is considered. The satellite is equipped with an attitude control system comprising a strong permanent magnet mounted along the satellite axis of symmetry and a number of hysteresis rods as a damper. It was expected that the satellite axis of symmetry traces the induction vector of the geomagnetic field. When the satellite has been orbited its angular momentum was unexpectedly high. To interpret motion of the satellite using mathematical study and flight data processing is the purpose of this paper. Three elementary sun sensors are installed on the satellite corp and their measurements analysis shows that the satellite angular velocity was decreasing with a time early in the mission. The analytical study of the motion is carried out. To examine the asymptotical stability of the motion the approximating model of the hysteresis was involved. Finally, the satellite probably reached the following motion: it rotates; the magnet direction precession-averaged follows the induction vector of the geomagnetic field; the angle between the magnet and the induction vector is not rather small and without tendency to be smaller. Actually, the satellite reached a permanent rotation mode almost without energy dissipation. Such a mode was mentioned in the 1960s and now it is explained and recognized in flight. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The realization of Russian–Australian scientific—educational micro-satellite “Kolibri-2000” (weight of 20.5kg, http://www.kolibri2000.ru 20 March, 2002), delivered into an orbit by “Progress M1-7”, was the first item in the Program of Scientific—Educational Micro-Satellite (PSEMS'' 2002–2007, http://iki.cosmos.ru/kollibri/mission1_e.htm) and designate the starting point of a series at perspective scientific—educational micro-satellites (SEMS, http://www.energia.ru/english/energia/sci-education/microsat/microsat-02.html). In the “Kolibri-2000” project, several schools equipped by School Center of Reception of the Information (SCRI), participated, including Russian schools (Obninsk http://ftschool.obninsk.org) and two Australian schools in Sydney, Knox Grammar School (www.knox.nsw.edu.au) and Ravenswood School for Girls (www.ravenswood.nsw.edu.au). The results of the “Kolibri-2000” first measurements on the orbit near the International Space Station will be submitted in this paper which include the ionosphere reaction during the April 2002 events, and address as understanding of the coupling and feedback in the Sun–Earth interaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Modern state of development and application of electric propulsion (EP) in Russia is analyzed in this report. The characteristics of fields of advisable EPS application are presented. The power-to-weight and economic effectiveness of applying EP systems of different types for solving perspective tasks, including spacecraft transportation to operating orbits, its station keeping in the orbit and in the structure of satellite constellations, operation and stabilization and taking away from the orbit after the end of the lifetime are studied in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The development of protective suits for space use started with the Vostok-suit SK-1, first used by Yu. Gagarin on April 12, 1961, and then used on all subsequent Vostok-flights. The technical background for the design of these suits was the work on full pressure protective suits for military pilots and stratospheric flights in the 1930''s through 50''s.The Soviet-Russian space programme contains a large number of ‘firsts’, and one of the most well known is the first EVA by Leonov in 1965. This event is also the starting point for a long series of space suit development for Extravehicular Activities over the last 35 years.The next step to come was the transfer in void space of crew members between the two spacecraft Soyuz 4 and 5 in 1969. As has later become known this was an essential element in the planned Soviet lunar exploration programme, which in itself required a new space suit After the termination of the lunar programme in 1972, the space suit development concentrated on suits applicable to zero-gravity work around the manned space stations Salyut 6, Salyut 7 and MIR. These suits have become known as the ORLAN-family of suits, and an advanced version of this suit (ORLAN-M) will be used on the International Space Station together with the American EMU.This paper covers the space suit development in the Soviet Union in the 1960''s and the experience used from the pre-space era. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]