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  Roscosmos: Manned spaceflight no longer priority

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Author Topic:   Roscosmos: Manned spaceflight no longer priority
Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-17-2011 03:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Reuters reports that the head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos said Wednesday that Moscow no longer sees manned spaceflight as the agency's top priority but remains committed to its International Space Station obligations.
Roscosmos chief Vladimir Popovkin said Russia was spending almost half of its space budget on manned flights and needed to shift focus to more technology-oriented projects. He added however it would stand by its station commitments.

"Unfortunately manned spaceflight accounts for an unjustifiably large part of the budget: It makes up 48 percent," he told reporters at Russia's flagship MAKS airshow near Moscow.

He added Roscomos would narrow its focus to satellite communication, navigation systems and meterological study...

On Wednesday, he said it was clear industry scientists have Mars in their sights, but such space missions were still "far-off" and not on the agenda until after 2020...

On the other hand, RIA Novosti reports that the head of the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Wednesday a joint mission with Russia to the Red Planet was in the pipeline.
Speaking to reporters at an air show near Moscow on Wednesday, ESA head Jean-Jacques Dordain said ESA and Russia's Roskosmos space agency would "carry out the first flight to Mars together."

Dordain said it was too early to define a timeframe, but added that the Mars500 project was a factor in the preparation for a real mission to Mars.

The 520-day simulated Mars500 project, run by Russia's Institute of Biomedical Problems with ESA's participation, aims to investigate just how well humans can cope with a return trip to the Red Planet. The six crew members are due "to return to Earth" in November.

music_space
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From: Canada
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posted 08-17-2011 07:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for music_space   Click Here to Email music_space     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Am I right in feeling that the Russian agency, at this juncture, is more focused and forthcoming than NASA?

Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-17-2011 09:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'm not sure that either (focused or forthcoming) is a fair assessment but as Roscosmos works with a significantly smaller budget than NASA and has a much more limited scope of activities (if by design or desire), it is probably fair to say that if the Russian space agency's focus is perceived as greater than NASA it is more a factor of circumstance than planning.

issman1
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posted 08-18-2011 07:35 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for issman1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have a suspicion the Russian political establishment is wary about the prospect of US commercial cargo and crew providers. So could this lead to the revival of Kliper to rival SpaceX or Boeing?

Russia has also unveiled plans for the Commercial Space Station as a direct rival to Bigelow Aerospace.

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-18-2011 09:51 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Russia chose to pursue developing the PTK NP (New Generation Piloted Transport Spacecraft) instead of the Kliper.

In fact, a full scale mockup of the new spacecraft is currently on display at the same MAKS airshow where Popovkin made his comments about de-prioritizing manned spaceflight.

That's not to say that Russia — or at least RSC Energia — hasn't reacted to the efforts in the U.S. to develop commercial spacecraft, according to Russian Space Web:

Fearing the emergence of several privately held manned spacecraft ventures in the US, RKK Energia urged Roskosmos to scale down the PTK NP project before it was too late. The 12-ton version of the PTK NP spacecraft could fly from the existing pad in Baikonur on the Energia-KV launcher derived from the off-the-shelf Zenit. Despite the agency's refusal to go along with the idea back in 2010, RKK Energia again displayed Energia-KV launcher at the Paris Air and Space Show in Le Bourget in June 2011.

RKK Energia also made some overtures toward its potential rivals in the US, exploring the possibility of cooperation with Boeing on its CST-100 crew capsule. RKK Energia could potentially supply components for the US spacecraft, such as docking mechanisms, or even engage in a joint development of the US-Russian manned vehicle if the political climate would make it possible.

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