The Soyuz was initially designed as a spacecraft for the Moon’s exploration and, therefore, it has the potential to boost its thermal and radiation protection, the Roscosmos chief said.

MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. The creation of the Soyuz MS spacecraft’s version with the enhanced thermal and radiation shield for flights to the Moon will cost about $400 million, Head of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said on Monday.

"We are now considering using this spacecraft for flights around the Moon, including as a commercial project. The project’s initial cost may equal about $400 million: this involves creating the spacecraft and organizing one mission," Rogozin said.

A modernized Soyuz spacecraft can be launched to the Moon using a two-launch scheme: an upgraded Soyuz spaceship is launched aboard a Soyuz carrier rocket and is temporarily docked with the International Space Station (ISS) and then a booster is launched with the help of an Angara heavy rocket. After that, the booster and the spaceship are assembled on the orbital outpost, after which they make a flight around the Moon, perform a gravitational maneuver and return to Earth," Rogozin said.

From the viewpoint of thermal and radiation protection, a modernized Soyuz spacecraft will feature "actually a second hull," the Roscosmos chief said.

The Roscosmos chief earlier said that NASA had requested Russia to develop the Soyuz spacecraft’s version for flights to the Moon to have a backup space transportation system. The United States plans to implement the Deep Space Gateway program with the participation of other countries to create a permanent lunar orbital station to regularly receive spacecraft from Earth.