OREANDA-NEWS. February 18, 2013. At its session the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a draft Law of Ukraine “On approving the National target scientific technical space program for 2013-2017”.

The National target scientific technical space program for 2013-2017 is the fifth program in space area over the years of independence of Ukraine and the first stage of implementation of important for further development of the space branch Governmental documents – Concept of realization of the state policy in the sphere of space activity up to 2032 (approved with a resolution of the CMU of March 30, 2011) and the Plan of measures regarding its implementation (approved with a resolution of the CMU of January 25, 2012).

The mentioned Program is targeting raising effectiveness of use of space potential for solving urgent tasks of social and economic, environmental, cultural, informational and scientific and educational development of the society, ensuring national security and defense, protection of geopolitical interests of the country.

The approximate general volume of financing for realization of the Program amounts UAH 2.58 bln, including UAH 1.12 bln from the state budget.

The draft law envisages the following:

creating a system of geoinformation support and monitoring of emergency situations with applying space information; 

launch of 3 spacecrafts (Earth remote sounding “Sich 2-1”, scientific and technological “Mikrosat” spacecraft and university UUMS-1 spacecraft);

creating of space rocket Cyclone-4 complex in Alkantara (Brasil) launch center and facilitation to creating the national satellite communication system Lybid; 

guaranteed efficient providing for executive authorities that realize the state policy in the area of national security and defense of services in satellite communication and data relay;

holding fundamental scientific space research in astrophysics, space biology, support of use of land space infrastructure in international scientific experiments, implementation of scientific and educational programs;

creating up-to-date rocket and space equipment and technologies of its production;

facilitation to commercial exploitation of certain launch vehicles;

developing of international cooperation (with RF, EU states, Brasil, Canada, Belarus, USA, Kazakhstan), expanding cooperation of Ukraine with European Space Agency.

Realization of the Program will enable:

to ensure transfer of space technologies into the real economic sector (by means of development and effective use of space potential of Ukraine in solving of urgent issues set in front of the country), to increase possibilities in access to modern information technologies for the people and possibilities of integration into the world system of scientific research for the scientific workers;

to form economically stable, competitive, diversified rocket-space branch of the national economics, which can ensure carrying out space activity in compliance with the contemporary requirements and national interests and can convert it into an effective instrument of the state policy.