But the space agency is still associated with the fallen rocket "Proton-M", in spite of the removal from office in early October, Vladimir Popovkin, in which "Roscosmos" has turned into a real farce.

"Release Oleg Petrovich Frolov from the post of first deputy head of the Federal Space Agency, at his request," - said in a document published on the official website of the Cabinet.

It should be noted that the deputy head of the agency (from October 10, "Roskosmos" headed by Oleg Ostapenko) was appointed the former head of "AvtoVAZ" Igor Komarov. Certainly we did not want Russian missiles were remotely similar to of Lada "Kalina" machine or "Samara". But any "Kalina" with a five-year run on the Russian roads looks presentable and high-quality three-year activities of the former head of "Roskosmos" Mr. Popovkin, in the history of scandals which you can write stories for the sitcom.

The most incredible incident involving ex-head "Roskosmos" occurred in March 2012. thenand, in the International Women's Day Vladimir she was placed in the neurosurgery department of the Burdenko hospital in a state of moderate severity (he has shards of bottles were found in the head).

The fact that a respected officer fought with zamgeneralnogo Director of FSUE "Star" Alexander Paramonov due to the press-secretary - Centerfolds Anna Vedischeva! Mr. Paramonov also appealed to the doctors with a concussion and a broken nose. Soon, the official said that the right to "Roscosmos" has been "partying" March 8 building, he certainly troubled and knocked on the door, he did not open, then he opened and made to put it on the corporate-space, in a mug, a fight broke out and Paramonov hit "colleague" bottle on the head (where suddenly took the bottle with the conversation in this institution - is an open question).

One of the most ambitious program for the Russian space exploration over the last 20 years was the launch of the GLONASS satellite navigation system. In the 2000s, Mr. Popovkin was its chief curator from the Ministry of Defense - the main system of the customer.

Note that from 2001 to 2011 on the GLONASS federal target program from the budget was allocated 116.9 billion rubles, more than 330 billion will be spent until 2020. Despite the huge costs that have already surpassed the United States the cost of a GPS system, GLONASS can be called only conditionally operating system - it never accepted the Ministry of Defence.

The fact that in orbit satellite 23 instead of the promised 24, and many of them are already operating life ends. Moreover, GLONASS accuracy is 1.5 times lower than the American GPS, though initially announced that it will be in terms of accuracy comparable to that competitor. The biggest setback was the loss in December 2010 of three GLONASS-M devices: due to abnormal operation of the carrier rocket "Proton-M" motor three satellites fell into the Pacific Ocean.

When carried out a tax audit is responsible for the navigation project GLONASS state-owned companies (Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Russian Scientific Research Institute of Space Device Engineering" - in late 2009, reorganized into OJSC "Russian Corporation Rocket and Space Instrumentation and Information Systems") suddenly foundaxis, that most of the funds allocated to the state order goes to firms controlled by its management. According to the tax inspection reports, placed in the "Pocket companies' management orders account for about 40% of all expenditure and the Research Institute for two years already exceeded a billion rubles. Thus all the work performed by the "Russian Space Systems" (RCC). The question for the firms belonging to the company's management, received a huge government funding remains open. As a result, the company is responsible for GLONASS operates on the limit of profitability, but the "daughters" of contractors thrive thanks to state financing and become leaders among the Russian IT-companies.

In early January 2012, under the management of Mr. Popovkin interplanetary station "Phobos-Grunt", costing 5 billion rubles due to technical problems burned at startup.

By the way, almost no one is punished for corruption and abuse of power, which have already become the rules in "Roskosmos". In addition to this, Vladimir Popovkin this summer moved to the new tactics of "withdrawal" from the staff-nd criminal cases, transferring them to remote design offices together with the documents along the way losing them. For example, a key figure in a corruption scandal Sergey Jealous GLONASS satellite system (against him criminal case) moved to a new job - he now heads the administration, which is responsible for "scientific content of the GLONASS program."

But now, dear Popovkin not be able to go to any other tactic - he was fired in early October while on holiday.

Currently planned reform of the Russian space industry - the creation of the Joint Rocket and Space Corporation. "Industrial breakthrough" may occur when a full sweep "Roscosmos" Popovkin from people whose professionalism is a profound question. In the coming years, Russia has to perfect rocket "Proton-M" will be developed in 1961, otherwise the country will simply cease to be a "cosmic superpower."