Posted: Thu, Aug 21, 2003, 9:18 PM ET (0118 GMT)
The Russian space agency Rosaviakosmos will see a budget increase of over $100 million in the coming year, Russian officials said this week. Rosaviakosmos chief Yuri Koptev said that the agency would receive 12.5 to 13 billion rubles (US$410-430 million) in 2004. That would represent an increase of 55%, or about $150 million, over the 2003 budget, although another report pegged the size of the increase at $100 million. The additional funding will be used in part to build and launch six domestic satellites, according to Koptev. However, he cautioned that there is little money in the budget for utilization of the International Space Station, including both funding Russian experiments on the station as well as the development of additional modules.

Related Links:

•  AFP article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  Itar-Tass article