[FPSPACE] Our friend Anatoly featured in BBC News space reportage

[agzak at optonline.net]

The same was discussed on the Novosti Kosmonavtiki forum. There is apparently a controversial concept of using solid motors for landing, perhaps, stemming from the old dream of Russian designers to have a controlled predictable landing into a narrow landing site. It becomes especially important with the choice of Vostochny as the launch site.


Anatoly Zak
http://www.russianspaceweb.com



----- Original Message -----
From: Raoul Lannoy <raoul.lannoy at pandora.be>
Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:38 pm
Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] Our friend Anatoly featured in BBC News space	reportage
To: fpspace at friends-partners.org

> In a french space forum, it is argued the spacecraft won't need to 
> land under a parachute....
> The BBC article makes no mention of a parachute...
> So, who's right? 
> 
> Raoul
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Peter Pesavento 
>  To: fpspace at friends-partners.org 
>  Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 5:26 PM
>  Subject: [FPSPACE] Our friend Anatoly featured in BBC News space 
> reportage
> 
>  Anatoly's renditions on webpage
> 
>   
> 
>  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7519723.stm
> 
>   
> 
>  Page last updated at 21:56 GMT, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 22:56 UK
> 
>   
> 
>        Manned spaceship design unveiled 
>       
>              By Paul Rincon 
>              Science reporter, BBC News 
>             
> 
>        
>       
> 
>   
> 
>  The first official image of a Russian-European manned spacecraft 
> has been unveiled. 
> 
>  It is designed to replace the Soyuz vehicle currently in use by 
> Russia and will allow Europe to participate directly in crew 
> transportation. 
> 
>  The reusable ship was conceived to carry four people towards the 
> Moon, rivalling the US Ares/Orion system. 
> 
>  Unlike previous crewed vehicles, it will use thrusters to make a 
> soft landing when it returns to Earth. 
> 
>  Russian aerospace writer and graphic designer Anatoly Zak has 
> produced artist's renderings of the new craft based on a design 
> released by Russian manufacturer RKK Energia at the Farnborough Air 
> Show in the UK last week. In some respects, the capsule resembles 
> America's next-generation spacecraft Orion. The 18-to-20-tonne 
> Russian-European vehicle is designed to carry six crew into low-
> Earth orbit and four on missions to lunar orbit. 
> 
>  One of the most unusual features about the capsule appear to be 
> the thrusters and landing gear on its underside. Mr Zak said it 
> would use these engines to soften its landing on Earth after the 
> fiery re-entry through our atmosphere. 
> 
>  The European Space Agency (Esa) has been talking to its Russian 
> counterpart Roscosmos about collaborating on the Crew Space 
> Transportation System (CSTS) since 2006. 
> 
>  Launcher decision 
> 
>  "If Esa and the Russian Space Agency reach agreement, Europe will 
> supply the service module of that co-operative spacecraft," Mr Zak 
> told BBC News. 
> 
>  This service module will use technology - such as the propulsion 
> systems - developed for Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), 
> an unmanned freighter recently sent to re-supply the International 
> Space Station (ISS). 
> 
>  Russia may provide the launcher for the new manned spacecraft. 
> This might be an entirely new vehicle, or a modification of an 
> existing rocket. Mr Zak said Russia was insisting in its 
> negotiations with Europe that all future manned projects be based 
> in Vostochny, the new cosmodrome being developed in Russia's 
> eastern Amur region. The Russian government wants to host its first 
> manned launch from that site in 2018. 
> 
>  At the moment, all manned Soyuz launches take place from Baikonur 
> Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. 
> 
>  Alternatively, the space agencies could opt to "man-rate" 
> Europe's Ariane 5 launcher, which lifts off from Kourou in French 
> Guiana. This would allow the rocket to carry humans into space. 
> 
>  This would involve making major modifications to Kourou 
> spaceport, including the development of infrastructure to support a 
> crew escape system in the event of an emergency. 
> 
>  It is quite possible that both launch sites would play a role in 
> any collaborative programme, which would necessitate the lofting of 
> cargo as well as human crew. 
> 
>  However, if this collaboration falls apart, Europe has another 
> option for direct manned access to space. 
> 
>  Other option 
> 
>  In May this year, European aerospace company EADS Astrium 
> unveiled its own model of a crewed space vehicle, described as an 
> "evolution" of the ATV, which was built by a consortium of European 
> companies led by Astrium. 
> 
>  It would combine what is essentially the avionics and propulsion 
> end of the ATV with a crew compartment taking the place of the 
> current cargo section.
> 
>   
> 
>  Mr Zak commented: "I think the main roadmap is the agreement 
> between the European and Russian space agencies. That is their Plan 
> A. Their Plan B is the initiative made by EADS Astrium in Bremen." 
> 
>  But if the agencies want a manned craft capable of reaching the 
> Moon, they will need to develop new, more powerful rockets than 
> those on the drawing board today. 
> 
>  "This is an open question, there are no decisions on how to 
> proceed," said Mr Zak. 
> 
>  The CSTS is also sometimes referred to as the Advanced Crew 
> Transportation System (ACTS). Esa and Roscosmos started talks on 
> the project after some Esa member states rejected further 
> involvement in the development of another manned spacecraft called 
> Kliper. 
> 
>  The proposals will go before a crucial meeting of space ministers 
> from European member states in November this year. 
> 
>   
> 
>   
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------
> 
> 
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