Can A New Spaceship Save Russia?

It looks as if the nation that helped bring us to the stars (via Sputnik) is now seeking to build a spaceship that can not only take them beyond our terrestrial sky, but towards the Moon as well.

(MSNBC) The Russian space agency on Tuesday ordered design work to start for a next-generation spaceship capable of flying missions to the moon, setting the ground for a potential new space race with the United States.

The space agency granted the state-controlled RKK Energiya company the $23 million contract for the initial work on a new, reusable craft to replace the 40-year-old Soyuz spacecraft.

With the world wide recession leaving none unscathed (even the NewSpace industry), it may be difficult for Russia to compete against NASA, although an alliance with China may help them close the gap.

NASA Ponders Extending Shuttle Flights

It looks as if Senator McCain's request to the President to delay the shuttle's early retirement has convinced NASA to take a second look at keeping their craft alive.

(Physorg.com) The e-mail obtained by The Orlando Sentinel describes NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's order for a study to determine if the shuttle could fly until 2015, when NASA's next-generation space platform is expected to be completed.

"We want to focus on helping bridge the gap of U.S. vehicles traveling to the ISS (International Space Station) as efficiently as possible," wrote John Coggeshall, manager of manifest and schedules at Johnson Space Center in Houston, in the e-mail sent Wednesday.

NASA officials confirmed the e-mail's authenticity, but said it was too soon to say what the study's reach would be.

NASA is still not entirely thrilled with the idea of flying the shuttle, and this "study" may be a way for them to politely prove that keeping the shuttle is not in America's best interest.

While the shuttle has benefited the agency in many areas (except for cost), it is time for the agency to pursue other paths (like building settlements on the Moon).

McCain: Dear Bush, We Really Need The Space Shuttle

After the recent conflict between Russia and Georgia, Senator McCain is asking the President to delay the space shuttle retirement in order to help America avoid dependence upon Russia during "the gap."

(Space.com) McCain, joined by Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and David Vitter (R-La.), also cited Russia's recent military incursion into neighboring Georgia earlier this month as evidence that Russia's continued cooperation on the international space station program should not be taken for granted.

Once the space shuttle is retired, Russia stands to possess the only means of transporting astronauts to and from the space station until the shuttle's successor – the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and Ares 1 launcher – comes on line around 2015. [...]

McCain, Hutchison and Vitter, in their letter to Bush, wrote that Russia's actions "raised new questions about the wisdom of providing" the exemption the White House seeks from a provision in the Iran, North Korea, Syria Non-proliferation Act barring so-called extraordinary payments to the Russian space program so long as Russia continues to help Iran acquire missiles and other advanced weapons.

While Senator McCain's rival for the White House, Senator Obama has proposed an alternative solution (basically giving NASA an extra $2 billion), neither solution will help NASA as the agency lacks the funds to continue shuttle flights and finish the constellation program.

NASA is (understandably) tired of circling the globe while dreaming of the stars beyond our home world.

With firm plans to establish a lunar base (which will hopefully turn into a lunar colony), it would be better for NASA to allow the private sector (aka NewSpace) to replace Russia in ferrying astronauts, thus freeing up NASA to help humanity establish settlements off world.

Russia To Moon: We Will "Industrialize" You

(Image Credit: Anatoly Zak / RussianSpaceWeb.com)

The next decade or so will either spell a regeneration of Russian space technology or a historical note of missed opportunity. With the space shuttle about to retire in several years, Russia will be in the spot light of history, if they can get over their stage fright that is.

Either way, Russia is determined to regain its space honor and visit the moon for the first time. And their aim is not to simply copy their American "comrades," but to transform our lunar neighbor into something a bit more productive.

(Reuters) "It is time to think about industrial development of the moon. We are sometimes criticized for making such suggestions too early," Sevastianov was quoted as saying in an interview released on Wednesday.

But it is time to do this given the limits to natural reserves on Earth and the pace of civilization's progress. Nor can we dismiss the idea of outsourcing harmful industries into space." [...]

"We can start flying to the moon using the Soyuz ships and those technologies that we already have. As for industrial development, that will be with the new technologies that the Kliper system will give us."

Despite pioneering the final frontier publicly and privately (via Space Adventures) Russia realizes that its moment in history is approaching once again, and that a missed opportunity here could affect its place in solar history for the next century.

Russia's Kliper (view: interactive) could help breathe some life back into its space program, which has not had much success after the Americans beat them to the moon during the Apollo era. Hopefully our Russian friends can return not only to the heavens but visit the moon itself, as it would be fairly boring having only the Chinese to compete against.

Update (4/17): I was informed that the original image posted above was owned in fact by the Russian Space Web and not Luniversalis News.

I am in contact with the owners to see if I can still use this image in the post (with proper credits), although if they desire the image will be removed at their request. ~Darnell

Update (4/17): Anatoly Zak has graciously allowed me to use the image, with proper credit given (of course). Thanks Anatoly!

Loose Regulations For Private Space Industry

It looks as if the the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) has decided to regulate the upcoming space industry with minimal restrictions. This is a good thing as bureaucracy is the last thing the private sector needs.

(Zee News) Thrill-seekers looking to blast into space would need to be informed in writing of serious risks -- including death -- and promise not to sue the government under the first-ever rules for commercial space travel. [...]

The rules apply to American companies launching from anywhere in the world, and to foreign companies launching from US soil.

Virgin Galactic, run by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, is aiming to offer out-of-this-world vacations in 2008 for travelers willing to pay USD 200,000 apiece. Space Adventures Ltd of Vienna, Virginia, is making similar plans, as are other outfits.

The good thing about these rules is it allows the private sector to determine who is fit for space, as NASA's requirement's might exclude those who are disabled, or not "strong enough" to survive the trip up.

Of course the FAA is requiring that the pilots be fit and go through some training, although they are hinting that they will become heavily involved if fatalities start to "pile up" (although most of these companies would have financial reasons for avoiding these, as having passengers die is not good for business).

NASA Renting Russian Rocket Ships?

(Hat Tip: NASA Watch)

After grounding its own shuttle fleet because of safety issues, NASA (with approval from Congress) has decided to "rent" Soyuz rocket ships in order to send its astronauts into space.

(Reuters) Congress last year lifted a weapons proliferation ban so NASA could buy Russian space services. The ban was enacted after concerns that Russian technology was helping Iran develop its nuclear program.

NASA and Russia still have to work out a long-term agreement for Soyuz flights, said NASA spokeswoman Melissa Matthews, but the Russians have agreed to a fee of $21.8 million per astronaut through 2011.

Despite the jokes one may hear of using ancient Russian technology, the former USSR space technology has survived the test of time. Although these space ships are not particularly designed for human comfort, they are built to "get the job done," which has enabled Russia to market the Soyuz towards Japan.

(Reuters) NASA will make an initial payment of $43.8 million for the current space station commander, U.S. astronaut Bill McArthur, to fly home in March, as well as for the launch and landing of astronaut Jeffrey Williams, who was officially named on Thursday as a member of the next space station crew. [...]

The agreement with Russia will keep one seat aboard the Soyuz available for a tourist or paying researcher. So far, three businessmen -- Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth and Greg Olsen -- have paid a reported $20 million apiece for roundtrip travel to the space station.

Although Russia has squeezed an extra million dollars out of NASA compared to the private sector, Russia does seem intent on allowing space tourists to accompany astronauts towards the space station. NASA is currently designing new space shuttles (or rather rockets) that will enable the US to once again send American astronauts into space by themselves.