NEWS24

Interview with Anton Kashkevich, CEO of Technokosmos

I would like to tell you more about your company. We have prepared several questions. We kindly ask you to answer them in any way you like: in writing or by speaking. Also we would be very grateful for interesting photos and videos about your company or just on the topic of the questions you would like to share.

About space architecture and design

Do you think that space architecture and design is a real field of astronautics at the moment - or is it still more of an intellectual futuristic exercise? What part of the space industry needs space architecture and design? (If any).

History develops in a spiral, after the first satellite and the first flight of Yuri Gagarin into space, many people learned about space programs and projects of our country. Everyone in their field wanted to get at least a little closer to space designs and that's why space surrounded us everywhere: in car and interior design, fashion, movies, household items, personal accessories, etc. After some decline, the popularity of the space trend is now returning and in my opinion space and futuristic design is also contributing to this. Space architecture and design is one of the ways to popularize the space direction The directions of colonization of Mars, the Moon, extraction of fossils from asteroids are actively developing, but for this purpose it is necessary to build spaceships and prepare the appropriate infrastructure for living. Gone are the days when astronauts were content with small living spaces and interior decoration was more functional than pleasing to the eye. The duration of the flight from Earth to Mars, for example, will require the creation of the interior of the spaceship, which will take into account the color scheme and convenience and functionality, and beauty too. Well, what are we going to build on Mars? Cottages? Of course not, this is where you need talented designers and architects, who together with engineers will create a new home for the conquerors of space.

What part of the space industry needs space architecture and design? (If any).

As I said earlier, creating interior interiors on space stations, ships, settlements on other planets will have a very big impact. Much more so than exterior design. External design is important where it is possible to look at an object all the time, and during a long flight a spacewalk will definitely not be in the nature of familiarizing oneself with the ship's design. On another planet, there is a good chance that the first settlements will be hidden under the ground and again, external design will not be as important.

But for us on Earth, exterior design will be of no small importance. Everyone is fed up with one-type buildings. Now there is a global trend for a small, modern, but own home, and space design can fully satisfy this trend. There are more and more "space" capsule hotels, modular buildings with futuristic design, and we are planning to build our own "space village".

How do young professionals get into this field of endeavor?

Here we need to reconsider the approach to the educational process. During the period of higher education students are boiled in their own environment and practically no contacts with other universities take place. It is necessary to create conditions for the development of joint projects at the state level, this will allow us to look at many processes and approaches from a completely different perspective. The architect will interact with the designer, the designer with the designer or doctor, etc. All this can lead to interesting and necessary results, including optimization of many processes and resources. Anyone who wants to get closer to the space is welcome at our events and in our channel. We can discuss what exactly you like, identify areas for your development and introduce you to mentors from the space industry.

Please tell us more about your working biography and your company.

When was it established? What kind of projects is it engaged in? Is private space in demand in the Russian Federation now?

What do you do?

I have five higher education degrees in areas that complement each other. I became an engineer-technologist in rocket engineering at Baumanka (Bauman Moscow State Technical University), where I also received a second degree in economics and management. I graduated from the Presidential Management Training Program (Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics) in strategic management, received a degree in hotel and restaurant business, and was trained as part of the personnel reserve of the State Corporation "Roscosmos" in the management of rocket and space enterprises.

For 15 years I worked in one of the Roscosmos enterprises and worked my way up from an engineer to the director of international programs, our team carried out launches of spacecraft in the interests of foreign and domestic customers. After I worked in the industrial asset of one of our large banks, and managed the direction of "Space and special products". Thus, at the state enterprise I was engaged in commerce, and at the commercial state programs.

For me space is a dream, I understood from childhood where I would go and what I would do. The further up the career ladder I climbed, the more I felt that my progressive thoughts and ideas required realization on another level.

For this purpose in 2023 I created "Corporation "Technocosmos", now it is actively developing, we are working on obtaining the necessary licenses, replenishing the staff not only with specialists, but also with students. For me Baumanka is my home, since 2020 I have been the chairman of the certification committee and at the early stages I start to select students with growth potential or with a strong interest in space. Many people already from the second year become our employees and participate in various projects.

We have a lot of projects, many of them are very relevant now or will be relevant in the near future. Some projects are born precisely at the edges of technologies or industries. Our mission is to make space closer and more accessible, and we don't forget about the tasks of popularization of space from a young age. We have a separate educational project for this purpose. In general, we can become your guide to space!

Is private space in demand in the Russian Federation now?

Very much in demand, and right now! Private space can achieve results much faster and at the lowest cost. Private space now gathers specialists who are willing, knowledgeable and highly motivated for results rather than process. Combining the strengths of private and state-owned companies is the future of Russian cosmonautics.

What does it do?

There are many directions for private space in Russia, someone makes micro-rockets and spacecraft, someone deals with robots, someone monitors the Earth's surface and analyzes massive data sets. Each company has its own way and its own reasons to come to "space", someone goes for money, someone realized that their own business cannot develop without the development of related space industry, someone is really trying to realize their ideas and knowledge. And it doesn't matter at all where we all came from in space, what matters is that we have one space for all!

Private space is a new trend for our country, but in the world it has long since shown its efficiency. Now it is our time to show our efficiency.

How do you see cooperation with the Congress and young architects and designers?

Any information occasion is important for the development of interest in space. Young architects and designers, as well as young engineers and designers have a great future ahead of them. Your knowledge will be used in an important direction for the national and world cosmonautics. Perhaps we will create new joint directions similar to industrial design. I have always believed that a complex technical product should also be beautiful, and we still have to work with that.

Our joint task is to instill a love for space, to show that space is not so far away, that it practically surrounds us every day.