OREANDA-NEWS  Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered funds to be allocated for the development of space nuclear energy in the country. The federal government, with the participation of Roscosmos and Rosatom, should find the money, according to a statement on the Kremlin's website.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has been appointed responsible for the execution of the order, and it must be executed by June 15, 2024. The exact amount that is supposed to be spent is not specified. However, the instruction emphasizes that special attention should be paid to the implementation of measures to develop the existing scientific and technical groundwork in this area.

At a meeting on March 14, following which the instruction was given, Putin noted that Russia is able to build a nuclear power plant in space. According to the head of state, the country has competencies and reserves that it can be proud of and which it has the right to count on in the future.

Previously, employees of the Institute for Statistical Research and the Economics of Knowledge (IIEZ) The HSE calculated that research and development costs in 2022 increased by two-thirds compared to 2018, but for the most part they did not relate to the creation of new products.

It was possible to ensure such growth by redistributing internal costs by cutting programs for space exploration, Earth, atmosphere, energy and other purposes.

Two months ago, the head of Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, admitted that private companies would invest in the domestic space services market only if they saw some kind of perspective and possible benefits in it. According to him, any "magic pendel" does not make sense here.