Posted by tourdemars to Technology at November 24, 2010 11:36 PM

Russia has begun some ambitious space projects, including a new system to protect spacecraft from space junk and a nuclear-powered engine for future spaceships, according to Russian news reports. The space debris protection system is designed to safeguard future outposts on the moon and Mars, officials at Russia's Central Research Institute of Machine Building said, the Russian Ria Novosti newspaper has reported.