The Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Vladimir Karanik, expressed hope for deepening cooperation with Russia in the field of human spaceflight, as well as in other areas of joint space activities. This statement was made after his meeting with Dmitry Bakhanov, the Director General of Roscosmos State Corporation, in Minsk. The Belarusian Academy of Sciences plays a key role in regulating the country`s space industry. During the meeting and subsequent negotiations, prospects for expanding collaboration in this sector were discussed.
Vladimir Karanik emphasized that the partnership between the National Academy of Sciences and Roscosmos has a long and fruitful history, spanning many years. This collaboration includes the creation of joint satellite constellations and the development of advanced space technologies, which are already actively used in the creation of spacecraft and, he believes, will play a significant role in the near future.
He particularly highlighted the historic event of the first human spaceflight in the history of sovereign Belarus. In 2024, thanks to the efforts of Roscosmos and agreements between the heads of the two states, Belarus reached a qualitatively new level by sending its national hero into space. Karanik expressed confidence in further progress in this direction. According to him, mutual understanding and complementary competencies will enable both countries to respond more effectively and promptly to emerging challenges. Opening the delegation talks, Karanik also stated that the most innovative projects and significant achievements in space cooperation are yet to come.
The first Belarusian cosmonaut, Marina Vasilevskaya, flew to the International Space Station on March 23 last year. The Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft launched at 15:36 Moscow time from pad 31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The crew also included Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky and NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson. Novitsky and Vasilevskaya spent a total of 12 days aboard the ISS. Upon returning to Earth, Oleg Novitsky highly praised Vasilevskaya`s preparation, noting that she worked completely independently and was not a «burden» to the crew. On Cosmonautics Day, Novitsky and Vasilevskaya were received by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Currently, preparations for the flight of a second Belarusian cosmonaut, Anastasia Lenkova, are being actively discussed. She successfully passed the competitive selection, becoming one of six candidates from Belarus for a space mission. During Marina Vasilevskaya`s training, Anastasia Lenkova served as a member of the backup crew. Earlier, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko publicly stated his readiness to assist Lenkova in her upcoming spaceflight.
