In the USSR, the space program was a major source of Soviet pride. But some experts argue that in Vladimir Putin's Russia, ROSCOSMOS is not operating on the same level as NASA or China's space program. Eric Berger, senior space editor at Ars Technica and author of Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX, says, "The Russian space program is very much in decline. [...] It's not really clear what purpose space exploration serves in Russia anymore."
This interview was recorded in 2021, prior to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
