The Ukrainian government approved on Wednesday, January 13, the concept of the national space program for 2021–2025; it is planned to spend about UAH 30 billion ($ 1.06 billion) on its implementation. The decision was approved by members of the Cabinet of Ministers at a meeting, which was broadcast by local TV channels.
The state will allocate half of the above amount for the implementation of the space program. The program will create up to two thousand new jobs.
The purpose of the concept is to ensure the effectiveness of the use of space potential and increase its influence for solving urgent problems of the development of society, ensuring the realization of the interests of the state in the field of defense and national security.
On the basis of the concept, a draft law “On the approval of the nationwide target scientific and technical space program of Ukraine for 2021–2025” should be developed. When implementing the program, Kiev intends to create and develop a satellite constellation of space surveillance, develop telecommunication systems using geostationary and low-orbit satellite communication and broadcasting systems, and create its own ground-based coordinate-time and navigation systems.
On December 6, Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine Oleg Urusky called it a shame that the country cannot launch its own satellite. He stressed that even some African states have satellites, and the “space power” Ukraine has not launched a single one since the collapse of the USSR.