Russia To Launch New Space Telescope After 2030 Replacing Troubled Spektr-R - Scientist

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2019) Russia will launch a new space telescope called Spektr-M (Millimetron) after 2030 that will continue work previously carried out by the Spektr-R telescope (RadioAstron) before control over it was lost, Director of the Astro Space Center of the Physical Institute of Russian academy of Sciences Nikolai Kardashev told Sputnik.

"Yes, of course," Kardashev said, answering a question on whether Spektr-M would be able to pick up tasks performed by Spektr-R.

He pointed out that both telescopes' tasks were very similar but they operate in different operational ranges.

Spektr-R operated in the radio frequency range, whereas Spektr-M will operate in the millimeter infra red range.

Kardashev pointed out that before the launch of Spektr-M, functions of Spektr-R will be fulfilled by ground telescopes.

On Saturday, Kardashev told Sputnik that control over the Spektr-R telescope had been lost. On Sunday, a representative of the Russian space agency Roscosmos told Sputnik that an attempt to establish contact with Russia's only space telescope Spektr-R had failed.