The Cabinet of Ministers approves the space program of Ukraine worth ₴41 billion

The plans include designing a lunar module and devices for a possible lunar mission worth ₴3.2 billion and building Tsyklon 4М (₴5.3 billion), Tsyklon-1 (₴3.9 billion) and Zenit-7Н (₴8.4 billion) space launch vehicles

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to approve the draft Law “On Approval of the National Targeted Scientific and Technical Space Program of Ukraine for 2021–2025” with a total funding of ₴40.78 billion, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, said at a government meeting on Wednesday.

The program is aimed at achieving the following key objectives:

• carrying out space activities in the interests of national security and defense;
• creation of the Earth space observation systems and their components;
• introduction of space technologies in the services market;
• creation of rocket and space technologies;
• basic and applied scientific research in the field of space activities.

Specifically, the program provides for the creation and development of the internal market for space technologies, information and services: promoting the introduction of advanced space technologies in the civilian sector (spin-off) and civil technologies in the space industry (spin-in).

More than ₴40 billion will be needed for its implementation from 2021 up to and including 2025: ₴900 million in 2021 (₴195 million from the state budget and ₴705 million from other sources), ₴10.5 billion in 2022 (₴4.78 billion and ₴5.71 billion respectively), ₴14.1 billion in 2023 (₴6.59 billion and ₴7.51 billion respectively), ₴9.6 billion in 2024 (₴3.7 billion and ₴5.86 billion respectively), ₴5.7 billion in 2025 (₴472 million and ₴5.2 billion respectively).

Among the most ambitious plans are:

• creation of a space optoelectronic system — ₴2.4 billion;
• creation of a space observation system as part of the international systems GEOSS, EuroGEOS, Copernicus — ₴600 million;
• creation of a medium-class space launch vehicle Tsyklon-4M — ₴5.3 billion;
• creation of a sea-based light-class space launch vehicle — ₴4.8 billion;
• creation of a light-class space Tsyklon-1 — ₴3.9 billion;
• serial production of Antares and Vega composite launcher vehicles — ₴3.1 billion;
• creation of the Zenit-7N heavy-class space rocket complex — ₴8.4 billion;
• creation of a lunar module and instruments for a possible lunar mission — ₴3.2 billion.

As reported earlier, at its last meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers resolved to transform state-owned enterprises of the space industry into joint stock companies. The list of corporatized companies includes: State Enterprise “Yangel Yuzhnoye State Design Office”, State Scientific Production Enterprise “Kommunar Corporation”, Kyivprylad State Enterprise, Arsenal Special Device Production State Enterprise, State Enterprise “Dniprovsky Project Institute” and the State Factory “Production Union Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant named after O.M. Makarov” (former Yuzhmash).