Russia Plans Orbital Station as Future Hub for Space Tourism

Roscosmos announced it will develop planetary travel opportunities through the upcoming Russian Orbital Station, with spaceflights for tourists expected in the coming years.

Russia has unveiled plans to advance its space tourism industry by building a dedicated orbital station. Dmitry Bakanov, head of the state corporation Roscosmos, shared the vision at the Digital Industry of Industrial Russia conference.

Construction of the Russian Orbital Station (ROS) is scheduled to begin in 2027 with the launch of a scientific and energy module. By 2030, it will be joined by core, docking, and airlock modules, and by 2033, additional mission-specific blocks will be added.

Unlike the International Space Station, which has historically hosted all space tourists, ROS will orbit in a near-polar trajectory, opening new routes for tourism missions.

Russia plans to allocate more than 4 trillion rubles toward the station and other space projects over the next few years. The national program also includes launching over 100 satellites to support unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations.

Currently, Russian tourists can experience weightlessness aboard specially equipped aircraft, where trained pilots simulate zero gravity. But actual suborbital or orbital trips for civilians are now within sight.