Russian President Vladimir Putin conducted a comprehensive tour of various spacecraft and the state-of-the-art situational control center at the newly inaugurated National Space Center (NSC) in Moscow. His visit to this cutting-edge facility commenced earlier in the day, marking a significant event for Russia`s advancing space program.
During his detailed inspection, President Putin examined a meticulously crafted replica of Lunokhod-2. This historic lunar rover, launched in 1973, famously transmitted over 80,000 images from the Moon back to Earth. He also viewed a model of `Venera-7`, the pioneering spacecraft that achieved the remarkable feat of being the first to successfully land on Venus. Furthermore, the President was shown the `Soyuz MS-25` descent module, which was launched in 2024 and carried Marina Vasilevskaya, the first Belarusian woman cosmonaut, on her inaugural space flight.
President Vladimir Putin visiting the new National Space Center in Moscow.
In addition to the spacecraft, President Putin explored the `Decision-Making Hall` located within the Joint Industry Information Center. Representatives from Roscosmos emphasized the hall`s advanced capabilities, noting its crucial role in serving as a robust backup to the primary Flight Control Center situated in Korolev, thus ensuring operational redundancy and unwavering continuity for critical space missions.
Accompanying the President throughout his extensive tour were several prominent officials, including Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, and Dmitry Bakanov, who serves as the head of Roscosmos.
As the official agenda drew to a close, Roscosmos personnel gathered at the NSC to bid President Putin farewell. Their appreciative applause was met with a acknowledging wave from the President, concluding a day focused on Russia`s space endeavors.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth