Аннотация: Have flown in. An essay on the history of Russial space policy and diplomacy.
Have flown in. An essay on the history of Russial space policy and diplomacy.
On April 18, 2021, today, by the radio, the population of Russia and the whole world were informed (in the news) that on April 12, 2021, it was decided to withdraw from the ISS (International Space Station) project (program) in 2025.
This phrase may be followed by clarifications. However, let's imagine that this phrase means exactly what it means.
1. A significant stage in the development of the Russial space industry is coming to an end, which was launched by the flooding of the MIR space station and the beginning of cooperation within the framework of the ISS project (program). This is approximately a twenty-year period.
2. The finishing of this twenty-year period is carried out in the usual style of Russial effective managers (who have high hopes for artificial intelligence and digitalization) - without any report on results (without report, known to the general public).
3. The exit from the ISS project (program) was carried out without broad discussion. What is the opinion of the parliament on this issue, what is the opinion of the party, which is called the ruling party, - nothing is known about this to a wide circle of citizens. Neither the body that made the decision, nor the text of the adopted decision are known to a wide circle of citizens.
4. If, during the flooding of the MIR space station, a cooperation began within the framework of the ISS project (program), - the MIR station was, as it were, replaced by the ISS, - then when the mentioned decision was made, no obvious replacement for the ISS isn't seen. No specific plans for the future have been announced in this regard.
5. MIR was flooded (destroyed), the ISS began work. Under all the debatable nature, controversial nature of this algorithm, it had the quality of comprehensibility and obviousness. What is the fate of the ISS? There is no clarity on this issue for the general public. Does anyone have any clarity on this issue? Will Russia, after leaving the ISS project (program), subsequently be able to influence the fate of the ISS?
6. One of the traditions of Russial (pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary - Soviet) diplomacy (political practice) is a tendency towards unilateral, non-agreemental, uncoordinated decisions and actions. Russia's withdrawal from the ISS project (program), formalized by a unilateral decision, is one of the extremely harmful and dangerous actions.
7. The ISS project (program) gradually fades into the background. Intentions and plans for the exploration of the Moon come to the fore.
For twenty years of cooperation, have there been any international agreements that secure Russia's rights in international space policy? Twenty years have passed without real international political and diplomatic achievements?
Summation.
The absence of a report on results for a twenty-year period of activity,
the absence of broad parliamentary, party, nationwide discussion of the adopted decision,
the absence of the obvious replacement for the ISS,
lack of well-known (widely known) plans about the fate of the ISS,
the absence of well-known significant international political and diplomatic achievements in the field of international space cooperation and interaction,
the reproduction of the worst traditions (habits) of Russial politics and diplomacy - making a unilateral decision in situation, where an internationally agreed decision is required,
- all this testifies to the negative results of modern Russial space policy and diplomacy.
April 18, 2021 18:54
Translation from Russian into English: April 18, 2021 19:58.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Прилетели. Очерк истории российской космической политики и дипломатии'.