posted 08-22-2016 09:41 AM               

The new vehicle will be about a ton heavier than its predecessor and will feature a radical new design. If it's actually built, the next-generation cargo ship will allow Russia to reduce the number of annual cargo shipments to the ISS from four to three while still delivering all necessary provisions for three people to live more or less permanently aboard the ISS.

Not coincidentally, all of these ISS problems have acquired added political significance this year. Faced with latest economic problems, and the need to reduce the number of Progress cargo launches, Russia's space agency Roskosmos made "plans to cut the permanent crew of ISS cosmonauts from three to two people. However the full international crew on the ISS is supposed to include six people with half of it reserved for Russia.

To resolve this supply problem, Roskosmos ordered RKK Energia, its key contractor responsible for human spaceflight, to prepare a preliminary design of a bigger cargo ship by the end of this month. Engineers quickly put together this proposal that would combine off-the-shelf hardware with new technology.

posted 11-29-2016 08:01 AM               

First launch of logistics spacecraft with increased cargo capacity possible after 2020

The first launch of the Increased Capacity Cargo Transportation Spacecraft (ICCTS) for logistic support of the International Space Station (ISS) is possible after 2020.

Preliminary design work on the ICCTS is to be completed in December 2016, there are no plans to develop a cargo-return version of the spacecraft.

Launches of ICCTS will be carried out from Baikonur launch site using infrastructure originally developed for Soyuz MS and Progress MS spacecraft. Upon completion of flight tests the new spacecraft will completely replace the currently used logistics spacecraft Progress MS.

"With the new spacecraft developed, we will be able to send up more cargo per one launch. This will significantly improve the cost effectiveness of launches of logistic spacecraft to both the ISS and to the station, which is going to replace it. For us this is very important," pointed out Director General of RSC Energia Vladimir Solntsev.

It is expected that the use of ICCTS will make it possible to reduce the cost of delivery of 1 kg of cargo by 15% as compared with Progress MS. The new spacecraft will be capable to deliver to the station 3400 kg (propellant, compressed gases, water and dry cargo) in one mission, while Progress spacecraft are capable of carrying onboard no more than 2600 kg of cargo. The layout of the new logistics spacecraft will allow to stow the delivered cargo in a larger cargo compartment with a central aisle and standard racks, which will significantly simplify the spacecraft loading and unloading operations, as well as to use it as a 'warehouse' when attached to the ISS.

Increased supply of deliverable propellant and the main engine with a higher thrust will allow an effective use of the spacecraft in the ISS orbital reboost maneuvers and support the space station de-orbiting after the end of its life is reached.

The question of developing a logistics spacecraft with a higher cargo capacity rose to the fore after the upgraded launch vehicle Soyuz-2.1b appeared on the launch services market offering better performance and a larger payload fairing. The significant shortening of the planned timeframe for the development of the new spacecraft bacame possible through the use of onboard systems and design solutions used in Progress MS logistics spacecraft and the module/spacecraft Progress M-UM. The preliminary design is funded out of public funds.