"From nuclear energy to an orbital elevator": experts explored the future of the space industry
Government officials, scientists and business leaders discussed scientific and technological forecasting and national priorities for the space sector at the II International Symposium "Inventing the Future". The panel discussion took place on 8 October at the National Centre RUSSIA. The co-organiser of the event was the Russian Science Foundation.
Scenario forecasting is one of the most effective tools for long-term planning and helps to adjust strategies aimed at achieving national scientific and technological leadership. Aide to the President of the Russian Federation Andrei Fursenko noted this ahead of the discussion "National Forecast: Technological Priorities for the Space Industry". He also stressed that the development of key industries today requires effective cooperation between science, the state and business.
"An important goal is to establish effective interaction between science, business, the state and, of course, education. Without this cooperation, progress is impossible," explained Andrei Fursenko. "The Russian Science Foundation plays a special role in supporting scientific and technological projects by funding both fundamental and applied research at the intersection of science and business. Such cooperation and support are extremely important."
Speaking about technological priorities in the space industry, Rector of Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University) Dmitry Livanov pointed out that space does not belong to those fast-evolving technological frontiers — it requires major investment worldwide, including in the creation of space infrastructure.
"Since Russia has set itself very ambitious goals, it is essential to forecast and plan the next steps properly. We must identify the key technologies to be mastered, plan their development and, ultimately, assemble strong teams capable of effectively responding to the challenges facing our country," said Dmitry Livanov.
The implementation of the national project "Space", which will start in early 2026, should contribute to achieving the objectives in aerospace technology. A number of planned initiatives will significantly expand opportunities for exploring near-Earth space and more distant celestial bodies, said Boris Glazkov, Deputy Director General of the Roscosmos State Corporation.
"The national project includes many ambitious ideas and initiatives, but one impresses me most — mastering nuclear energy in space, including the installation of a small reactor on the Moon. This is a bold and inspiring project. There are, of course, many challenges to overcome, starting with cooling issues, similar to those faced by the nuclear tug project. But they will have to be solved, because developing nuclear energy in space is essential — without it, the exploration of other celestial bodies will be impossible," said Boris Glazkov.
Several experts pointed out one of the potential obstacles to the dynamic development of the space sector and the implementation of the national project — a shortage of specialists with the necessary skills. Rector of Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Mikhail Gordin, believes that to overcome this, special attention should be paid to cooperation between universities and potential employers.
"If we want to move fast, our graduates must be ready to contribute immediately after receiving their diplomas. For this, they should gain professional experience while still studying. A student with such experience will find it much easier to integrate into a design bureau or a production enterprise — no adaptation will be needed. The task of universities is to support students in this, by attracting real projects to their base where they can gain this experience," said Mikhail Gordin.
Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Scientific Director of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lev Zeleny, shared his vision for long-term space projects, highlighting the idea of creating an orbital elevator among them.
"When I was young and read about it in the magazine 'Technology for the Youth', such ideas seemed pure science fiction because there simply were no materials strong enough to create a cable that could bear the required load. Today, with the emergence of carbon nanotubes with strength reaching hundreds of gigapascals, we can look at the project much more seriously, understanding that it indeed has a future. I know that in the United States and several other countries, competitions are being held to select ideas for its implementation, and research laboratories are being established. It is encouraging that in Russia, a number of universities are also studying the necessary technical aspects. I believe that the orbital elevator project is the very initiative to which the younger generation of experts should pay close attention," said Lev Zeleny.
The discussion on national forecasts also featured participation from Alexander Blagov, Vice President of the National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", and Pavel Stepanov, Director General of Geoscan Moscow LLC. The session was moderated by Andrei Volyntsev, Head of Department at TsENKI (Centre for Operation of Ground Space Infrastructure Facilities) – "Kuznetsov Research Institute for Applied Mechanics" and Chairman of the Council of Young Scientists and Specialists under the Director General of the State Corporation Roscosmos.
The II International Symposium "Inventing the Future" was held on 7 – 8 October at the National Centre RUSSIA and brings together participants from 85 countries, as well as all constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It involves more than 260 Russian and international experts from China, the United States, Italy, Latin America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is organised on the instruction of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, under the auspices of the Decade of Science and Technology, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. Analytical partner is VCIOM Analytical Centre. Literary partner is Eksmo-AST Publishing Group.
