Russia’s space plans, including a mission to the moon, are likely to be affected by the government’s austerity measures.

Roscosmos scientific-technical council head Yuri Koptev told Efe news agency: "We don’t rule out that further space budget cuts would continue in the upcoming years."

Russian media reported in December last year that the country’s space agency Roscosmos had announced a lunar exploration project with a cost of around $235bn to 2050. The project is expected to require an estimated $34bn in its first phase, up to 2025.

"The organisation [will] continue with its space projects despite the country’s economic difficulties."

Roscosmos head Igor Komarov said in April that the organisation would continue with its space projects despite the country’s economic difficulties, and aims to send Russian cosmonauts to the moon by 2030, reported Indo-Asian News Service.

The country had planned to retain large funds for its space programme to maintain its strong position in the sector.

In April 2014, President Vladimir Putin promised to raise funding to $34bn up to 2020 in order to modernise the country’s space infrastructure; however, in May, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin criticised the country’s space industry calling it inefficient and corrupt after it experienced several failures.

Rogozin proposed measures to streamline the industry by reorganising Roscosmos into a state corporation and boosting staff salaries.