Russian Launcher For Integral
Russian Launcher For Integral |
The Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma project has been developed for more than a decade by ten European countries, which have produced $300 million worth of scientific equipment, Koptev said.
It will be a scientific observatory made up of satellites with which to study deep space. The telescopes that have been designed for the project are unique and "make it possible to look deep inside the universe," Koptev remarked.
All of the equipment has been brought to Russia, which is working on a platform for the apparatuses and the launch into orbit, he said.
Alas, financing for the work has been stopped and the search for funds is under way in negotiations with European countries, among them France, Germany and Austria.
Russia owes much to the European community in the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma project, Koptev said.
A contract to launch the Integral satellite for space studies has been signed with the European Space Agency. The satellite will be launched by a Russian Proton rocket-booster in early 2002.
Russia's fulfillment of these commitments is closely related to economic cooperation with Europe. "If we fail to implement them, that will inevitably affect other areas of economic cooperation with European countries," Koptev stressed.
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