Russia has developed and patented a new technology that allows spacecraft to be launched automatically from an orbital station, Russian news agency TASS reported. This system also includes robotic maintenance features, making it the first of its kind in the world.The technology will be tested at the upcoming Russian Orbital Station (ROS), and later used in future lunar exploration missions.Russia’s first deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov informed President Vladimir Putin about the developments of this technology, emphasising at Russia’s need to transition to its own orbital station, module-by-module by 2030.The ROS “will become the world’s first drone platform equipped with robots for its maintenance. This is a patented solution of the Russian Federation,” Manturov said during the meeting on Friday, as reported by PTI.The meeting was chaired by Putin through a televised medium to assess the current national projects, particularly in the field of space.Work is currently underway to develop the Russian Orbital Station (ROS), which is planned for deployment in a near-polar orbit between 2027 and 2033. The scientific and power module (SPM), representing the first segment of the ROS, is scheduled for launch at the end of 2027. By 2030, additional components including the universal-node, gateway, and base modules are planned for launch, which together with the SPM will form the station’s core infrastructure. The second phase of the station’s deployment will involve expanding the facility by docking two target modules between 2031 and 2033.The deployment of Russia’s orbital station is expected to begin after the scheduled deorbiting of the International Space Station by 2030. This transition comes after valuable joint space collaboration experience between Roscosmos and Nasa.
