Putin offers to supply Argentina with rocket engines
Russia may ship rocket engines to Argentina, and Roskosmos “could offer recommendations for the creation of space technology” said President Vladimir Putin after talks with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, TASS reports. Moscow may also supply Buenos Aires with fuel for its space rocket technology, the president added.
“Russia and Argentina are establishing collaboration in the peaceful exploration of the cosmos, there are ideas for cooperation in the area of remote probing of the earth and satellite navigation,” Putin commented. With reference to rocket engines, he said that they are “absolutely competitive”.
Putin and Macri’s talks took place in Moscow as part of the Argentine President’s official visit.
Argentina began development of its space program as early as the 1940-1950s, and in the 1960s Argentina’s National Commission for Space Research launched animals into space. In 1991 the commission was reorganized as the National Space Activities Commission, which oversees the country’s space programs. Since 2016 it has been handed over to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Industrial Innovations.
Argentina produces its own Tronador rockets, and also collaborates with other countries (including the US) in the development of satellites.
The country is currently working on a space program for 2016-2027.
Russia ships RD-180 rocket engines to the US. In April 2017, Roskosmos head Igor Komarov said that Moscow is considering the possibility of shipping engines to other countries.