Space Exploration at Home: Amateur Cosmonautics in Contemporary Russia

Abstract

The article discusses three cases of amateur astronautics in Russia: the launch of the Mayak satellite (2017), the launch and landing of the mousenaut into the stratosphere (2015), and the design of space suit models (current project). I suggest that these projects may be considered as local practices of amateur space exploration for the near future. Non-professional astronautics allows us to look at the conquest of space from the point of view of ordinary people and everyday life. The utopian impulse of amateur astronautics is that everyone can take part in the exploration of space. It is equally important that these cases prove that one can indeed go to the Moon, Mars, or asteroids without state support. In addition, amateurs demonstrate the simple inventions, solutions, and methods of space research and exploration that help rethinking time and labor resources, the use of materials, and the importance of professional skills in space science.