Russian Deputy Prime Minister Calls For Space Stimulus

Wants a Moon base

Russia should set itself the "super goal" of building a large base on the Moon, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said.

Rogozin said Russia could use to achieve "leaps" in science and to give a new sense of purpose to its troubled space programme.

Calling the task "big, prestigious and political", Rogozin said the country's space industry — which has suffered a string of costly and embarrassing failures — urgently needed a tangible stimulus to force it to focus.