KIEV, Oct. 1 – The government has approved a bill allocating $320 million to the scientific and technical space program for 2013-2017.

According to the Cabinet of Ministers, the measure will be the fifth space program of independent Ukraine.

"It's aimed at increasing the efficiency of the use of space potential to resolve current tasks of the social-economic, cultural, information and scientific-education development of the society, supporting the national security and defense, and the protection of the geopolitical interests of the state," the text read.