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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 7, 2011 15:48:54 GMT -5
Vid, rt.com/news/space-iss-gagarin-anniversary/“Gagarin” crew arrives at ISS to remember first man in space. RT.com 7 April, 2011, 11:14 A Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft has successfully brought three astronauts for a five-month mission to the International Space Station. There are now six people on board the station and next week they will celebrate 50 years of manned space exploration. The Soyuz spaceship which brought a fresh crew to the ISS is named after Yury Gagarin. The legendary cosmonaut’s first space flight on April 12, 1961 started a new era of piloted space trips. Gagarin’s legacy still inspires a bold future of further space traveling. Space as a dream Astronauts spend most of their lives preparing for the possibility of going into space. A Russian cosmonaut takes about 250 exams a year in addition to the physical training they have to go through. Aside from the hard work these men and women put into their profession, another thing they have in common is a little more romantic. It is the unwavering childhood dream of literally reaching for something big. At only 14, aspiring cosmonaut Sergey Davitaya is so certain about his future that he has already made headway. Sergey went to the US and became the first youngster to spend 15 minutes floating in the zero-gravity environment cosmonauts train in. “When the plane was going up, I felt the full weight of my body, as if I was drawn to it. I could hardly move my hands,” he told of the experience. Such an “early start” is something the first man in space, Yury Gagarin, could have related to. His feat 50 years ago marked the beginning of a long list of achievements in manned space exploration: from walking on the Moon to building the massive International Space Station. Next, there might be a hotel in orbit, yet another space dream. “For this hotel project, there will be four rooms at the station with enough room for seven people. There will be two big illuminators so that everyone can observe the Earth and stars,” said Sergey Kostenko of Orbital Technologies LTD. “I have always wanted to become a cosmonaut. That did not happen, but now I am sure that one day, I will travel to space.” A tour’s price tag is a hefty US$ 35 million to US$ 40 million, but there is a cheaper alternative. Another project aims to send space tourists to lower Earth orbit, where they will spend five minutes in zero gravity and see the planet in its entirety for US$ 200,000. “Our goal is to send large groups of people to about 120 kilometers above ground where they will be able to see our planet and the cosmos with their own eyes,” Stanislav Smirnov from the Myasishchev design bureau told RT. To do this, they plan to use the abilities of special aircraft to carry cargo on their body. The plane will take off with a small space shuttle which will be released at a certain altitude. Still, one of the most ambitious space projects is the “Mars-500” experiment, simulating a voyage to the Red Planet, in the event this global ambition becomes reality. When that time comes, young Sergey Davitaya is certain he will be ready to take on the challenge. “I want to be the first to travel to Mars and to other planets as well, to the moons of Jupiter or Saturn. They say you can live there in future,” he said. Like many spacemen and women, Sergey believes it will only be a matter of time. |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 7, 2011 15:52:25 GMT -5
Vid, rt.com/news/gagarin-space-health-kotovskaya/"Gagarin looked just like everyone else" RT.com 7 April, 2011, 17:14  When Yury Gagarin first set foot in Star City where training sessions began for cosmonauts, he did not stand out in any way among the 20 young men, recalls Ada Kotovskaya, who used to be the first cosmonaut’s physician. Ada Kotovskaya, once Gagarin’s personal physician, was to monitor the health of 20 young men, future cosmonauts. Today the former doctor is the Head of the Acceleration Physiology Laboratory of the Russian State Research Center, a Professor and Doctor of Medical Sciences at the Institute of Medico biological Problems. She spoke to RT and shared her memories of what it was like to deal with Yury Gagarin and witness the first-ever manned flight into space behind the scenes. “Yury Gagarin looked like everyone else; all the men arrived of approximately the same age and weight. And the reason was obvious: the spacecraft was designed for an average-sized man,” said Kotovskaya. The young men did not know what they had to face – the work was extremely classified. The cosmonauts were just told they were about to test the new craft, but they were completely unaware what kind of craft it was – everything was kept secret, recalled Kotovskaya. “A decision was made at a closed session that we had to choose 6 out of those 20. Why six? Because there were six Vostok spacecraft”, said the professor. The space launch was scheduled for early April, and everyone sensed it was not going to be delayed, so the personnel had to be quick to make their choice. “The team of six we finally chose is now referred to as Gagarin’s Six”. As Kotovskaya says, in early April the six men arrived to the launch site, all expecting to become the one. In the meantime, only two of them, Gagarin and Titov were to be closely examined by doctors; no one knew who the two candidates were. But the men did find out – someone leaked the word, she remembers. On April 10th, the official commission made two vital decisions: choosing Gagarin, and scheduling the launch on the 12th of April. “Gagarin was jubilant! And Titov, who was appointed his back-up was extremely upset. But he was keeping gracious.” Late on April 11th, Korolyov picked up Gagarin from the spacemen’s quarters and took him out for a walk. Kotovskaya says the tradition of taking a stroll with Korolyov and talking remained, and as long as he lived, each spaceman always looked forward to seeing him before their launch – it became something sacred for them. As Kotovskaya recollects, early on April 12 Gagarin looked more pale than usual; he was unsociable and quiet, which was untypical of him, recalls the former physician. “He would answer by nodding or a short 'yes' to all questions. This was a different Gagarin. The way I see it, he was focused in his heart and spirit on what he was about to experience. We hugged him. I cannot even remember whether he smiled, but I don’t think he did”. “And suddenly we realized there was nothing printed on his space helmet. Can you imagine?” shuddered Kotovskaya. The cosmonaut could have made an emergency landing; he could have even been taken for a apy! “They forgot to put an imprint on the helmet, so they just wrote USSR in red letters, and that was it”. Soon after the historic flight Gagarin, had a talk with Korolyov, asking what he would do next. He missed the flights, and was very sad. “Korolyov was silent for quite a while, and then he said, 'you should study'." And indeed, on November 1, 1966, Yury Gagarin stepped into the centrifuge with several other people as a backup for Komarov who was aspiring to fly the new Soyuz spacecraft. Today, Ada Kotovskaya believes she can better understand why Gagarin was chosen: “He had a combination of amazing qualities such as stable health, and wisdom. And most importantly, he had to be a great representative of our country, since he was the first spaceman from Earth”. |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 7, 2011 16:26:05 GMT -5
Russia looks to grab half of world space launch market.
Russia needs to increase its presence on the global space market and increase its share of launches from 40% to 50%, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
"Our country presently provides up to 40% of all space launches in the world. I believe it is well within our power to increase this share by another 5% or maybe even 10%," he said.
He stressed, however, that Russia should not confine itself to the role of an "international space cabbie."
"We need to expand our presence on the global space market, which, incidentally, has grown 150% since 2003 and is now worth around $200 billion. That's big business," Putin said.
Russia currently has over 100 satellites in orbit and will continue to increase their number, he added.
Putin also said the government earmarked about 200 billion rubles ($7 billion) in funding for space programs in 2010-11.
"In the far-from-easy post-crisis conditions we are increasing the volume of funding for our space programs," he said.
Putin said Russia would develop a whole range of new capabilities over the next five years.
"We need new-generation space equipment, featuring greater reliability and service life," he said.
This requires a "deep modernization" of space industry enterprises, as well as significant investment in R&D programs, the prime minister said.
Putin ordered the Russian space agency Roscosmos, in conjunction with the Russian Academy of Sciences, to draw up long-term space research plans by this August.
NOVO-OGARYOVO (Moscow region), April 7 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 8, 2011 14:13:47 GMT -5
UN declares April 12 as International Day of Human Space Flight. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution at a special session on Thursday declaring April 12 the International Day of Human Space Flight. The resolution was initiated by Russia, which celebrates Causmonaut Day on April 12 dedicated to the historic first manned flight to space by Russia's Yury Gagarin in 1961. "Fifty years have passed since that amazing voyage, but the legend of Gagarin's courage and journey to the 'final frontier' continues to be a source of inspiration for space exploration for peoples and nations around the world," Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, was quoted as saying on the UN Website. A photo exhibit was also opened at the UN headquarters to mark the 50th anniversary of the first human flight to space. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin blasted into the cosomos aboard the Vostok-1 spacecraft, orbiting Earth in 108 minutes and landing safely near Smelovka village in the Saratov Region's Ternovsky District. UN, April 8 (RIA Novosti)  |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 12, 2011 0:18:24 GMT -5
50 years after Gagarin flight Russia still has star dreams - Medvedev.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hailed Yury Gagarin's flight into space 50 years as a symbolic, revolutionary event, adding that his country still dreams about "conquering" other planets and flying to distant stars.
The first manned space flight remains a landmark for humankind, he said in an interview with China Central Television CCTV.
"I believe it was a truly revolutionary event, a highly symbolic one," Medvedev said. "It was a tremendous achievement of Soviet cosmonautics, which divided the world into 'before' and 'after the flight,' what has been termed the 'space era.'"
"I am proud of the fact that it was my country that made this first step," he said.
On the subject of future space programs, Medvedev said although they have become less idealistic and more pragmatic, the Russian space dream lives on.
"We still cherish a hope, however, that sometime we will be able to conquer other planets, other stellar systems."
"I don't know how soon we will be able to achieve that, but I think that mankind will always try to follow these two approaches simultaneously - on the one hand, the dream of exploring outer space, and, on the other hand, a truly pragmatic approach to outer space, which may bring both scientific and practical benefits."
MOSCOW, April 12 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 12, 2011 11:18:09 GMT -5
BE PROUD THAT YOU ARE SLAVIC!  --------  Vid, rt.com/news/gagarin-space-anniversary-history/Celebrating a star: 50 years since Gagarin’s spaceflight. RT.com 12 April, 2011, 08:27 A monumental feat is being celebrated across the globe. Fifty years ago, on April 12, 1961, Yury Gagarin blasted off, orbited Earth and made history, becoming the first man in space. Before that day mankind could hardly imagine we would one day be able to stare down at our planet from above. Baikonur cosmodrome witnessed the first-ever successful manned space flight. It was there that 50 years ago cosmonaut Yury Gagarin boarded his Vostok-1 capsule and was launched into space. “I had the honor of taking the Vostok, a great spacecraft, to space first. I was very happy to have that honor. It was only the beginning”, said Gagarin a short while after the memorable flight. But there was another man for whom April 12th was also the day his name shot to fame – another Yury Gagarin. “My parents didn't know where I was serving. They only knew I had graduated from a pilots' academy and that the facility I was working at was top secret. When they heard that Yury Gagarin had been sent into space, they assumed it was me! Journalists came to our house to interview my parents but they knew nothing. I think they could have had a heart attack”, recollects Yury. The two Yurys met in 1963. The lucky namesake ended up face to face with the cosmonaut and introduced himself. “Gagarin asked me what month I was born. I said, "March," and it seemed to me like he was going to collapse. I even stretched out my hands to hold him up. It turned out he was born in March as well!” Among those who knew the cosmonaut in person and can tell his story from memory is Ada Kotovskaya, the doctor who prepared Gagarin for his first flight. She recalls that very day 50 years ago: “Gagarin looked more pale than usual. He was unsociable and quiet, which was not like him at all. He would answer by nodding or a short 'yes' to all questions. Sometimes he would start humming some tunes. This was a different Gagarin. We geared him up, and hugged. And I said, "Yury, everything will be fine." And he nodded back”. As soon as Gagarin returned to Earth, he was a superstar, a 'hero' for his compatriots. Those who knew him admit they were not quite sure how to act around him. “We were playing volleyball when Gagarin and another guy approached us. We all moved away, embarrassed. He was very surprised. He said, ‘What's up? Let's play together?’ Those who played against him were giving way. Gagarin noticed this and was offended. He said, ‘Let's play fair, ok?’”, recollects Vitaly Bondarenko, the cosmonaut’s friend. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who knew Gagarin and had a bad word to say…. after all, he was chosen not just for his abilities as a cosmonaut, but also for his demeanor and signature smile. Medvedev awards space stars The Russian president has visited Star City to congratulate the crew of the International Space Station, in a teleconference, for continuing what Gagarin started half a century ago. Dmitry Medvedev saw for himself the specialist work that goes on at Star City mission control center, not far from Moscow. The president also awarded a number of Russian and foreign cosmonauts and astronauts medals for remarkable achievements in the industry. Three of the cosmonauts, Russians Mikhail Kornienko, Aleksandr Skvortsov and Oleg Skripochka were awarded the title of the Hero of Russia – the highest military award, given for exceptional acts of courage in the country. “I am sure a great future is reserved for cosmonautics. And I hope people all over the world will do their best to develop this sphere. On behalf of the Russian Federation I would like to assure we will certainly do our best”, concluded Medvedev.  ---  The launch on 12 April 1961 took place from what is now Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan  Gagarin went into darkness behind the Earth over the Pacific. He saw the Sun rise as he was moving over the South Atlantic  The cosmonaut baled out of his capsule before it hit the ground |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 20, 2011 14:46:45 GMT -5
Parvanov Relies on Russia to Send 3rd Bulgarian Cosmonaut in Space. Novinite.com Diplomacy | April 20, 2011, Wednesday Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov has welcomed a delegation of Bulgarian and Russian cosmonauts stressing the possibilities for bilateral space cooperation. The meeting was in connection with the 50th anniversary of first manned space flight – that of Yuri Gagarin – on April 12, 1961. Earlier on Wednesday, the same delegation - consisting of Russian cosmonauts Viktor Savinih and Yuri Gizdenko, Bulgarian cosmonauts Georgi Ivanov, Alexander Alexandfrov and Krasimir Stoyanov, Petar Getsov, head of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences' Space Research Institute, as well as Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Yuriy Isakov, and the Chair of the Federation for Friendship with the Peoples of Russia, Prof. Zahari Zahariev – was welcomed by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Parliament Speaker Tsetska Tsacheva, with the government promising to take measures to join the European Space Agency. Prof. Zahari Zahariev and Russian cosmonaut Viktor Savinih thanked Bulgarian President Parvanov for his patronage of the celebrations of the 50th year since Gagarin's flight. "The celebration of the 50th year since sending the first man in space is great occasion on which to discuss the present situation and the future of space research in Bulgaria. The Bulgarians have the self-confidence of being able to develop as a space nation," President Georgi Parvanov said. He welcomed the possibilities for cooperation between Bulgaria and Russia in space research, which can lead to sending a third Bulgarian cosmonaut in space. So far, two Bulgarian cosmonauts, Georgi Ivanov in 1979 and Alexander Alexandrov in 1988, have entered space, both on Soviet Union flights. Earlier this week, Bulgaria's first cosmonaut Gen. Georgi Ivanov, at a special press conference, has urged the government to take steps to reinvigorate and develop the Bulgarian space program. Back in 2010, on several occasions, US Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick mentioned the possibility that a Bulgarian astronaut could potentially fly on a NASA mission.  Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov (middle) shakes hands with first Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov; Russian Ambassador Yuriy Isakov is second on the right. Photo by BGNES |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Apr 30, 2011 16:09:29 GMT -5
Putin calls development of space industry Russia's top priority.
Development and advancement of the national rocket and space industry is a priority for Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Saturday.
"From the perspective of the country's defensive capacity the rocket and space industry...is an absolute priority along with the nuclear industry and its military branch," Putin said during a meeting with scientists from Penza's Research Institute of Physical Measurements.
About 153 billion rubles will be allocated to the national rocket and space industry this year, which is 30 percent higher than in 2010, Putin said, adding that the branch has shown a 18 percent growth even despite the consequences of the global financial crisis.
"We have the absolute competitive advantage in rocket engineering, many of our partners lag behind us, but in several spheres we have to catch up."
On the whole, the Russian defense industry complex is globally competitive, the premier added.
PENZA, April 30 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on May 21, 2011 1:53:57 GMT -5
Can't launch their own stuff? Tsk, tsk! ------------- Russia launches U.S. telecoms satellite. Russia has launched a Proton-M heavy carrier rocket with a U.S. telstar-14R telecommunications satellite from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. The rocket lifted off at 11.15 p.m. Moscow time (19:15 GMT) on Friday. "The separation of the satellite from the Briz-M booster is expected at 08.28 a.m. Moscow time [04:28 GMT] on May 21, and at that point Russia will fulfill its part of the launch mission," a Roscosmos spokesman said. Telstar -14R is a commercial satellite produced by the U.S. Space Systems/Loral company for leading satellite operator Telesat. It carries 46 Ku-band fixed and switchable transponders. The satellite will replace Telstar 14 satellite at its orbital location to provide broadband coverage for Brazil, continental United States, the Gulf of Mexico, the northern and southern Caribbean, the Central America, and the northern and central Atlantic. The 5-ton satellite has a service life of at least 15 years. Friday's mission is the first for Proton-M this year and 364th overall for this class of Russian carrier rockets. MOSCOW, May 21 (RIA Novosti) |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jun 9, 2011 17:37:54 GMT -5
Russia's Soyuz spacecraft docks with International Space Station.
Russia's Soyuz TMA-02M manned spacecraft, launched from the Baikonur space center on June 8, has docked with the International Space Station (ISS), the Russian Mission Control said on Friday.
The spacecraft docked with the station's Pirs module in an automatic mode, bringing to the station Expedition 29 that consists of Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov, NASA's astronaut Mike Fossum, and Japan's astronaut Satoshi Furukawa.
The new crew will join the ISS Expedition 28 consisting of Russian cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko and Alexander Samokutyaev and NASA's astronaut Ronald Garan.
The Expedition 29 will spend 162 days on board of the ISS. They are scheduled to make one spacewalk, receive the last U.S. shuttle, unload four Progress space freighters and undock Europe's ATV-2 Johannes Kepler space freighter.
MOSCOW, June 10 (RIA Novosti)
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jun 27, 2011 18:04:49 GMT -5
Russia launches Cosmos-series military satellite.
MOSCOW, June 27 (RIA Novosti)
Russia's Space Forces launched on Monday a Soyuz-U carrier rocket with a Cosmos class military satellite on board, spokesman Lt. Col. Alexey Zolotukhin said.
The rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk space center in north Russia at 08.00 pm Moscow time (16.00 GMT).
"The rocket put the Cosmos-series military satellite into the designated orbit at 08.08 pm Moscow time [16.08 GMT]," Zolotukhin said, adding that the satellite was assigned the serial number Cosmos 2472.
The satellite is a new addition to a Russian network of about 60-70 military reconnaissance satellites, featuring updated imaging technology and an extended lifetime of up to seven years.
The Soyuz-U rocket is designed to orbit Soyuz and Progress manned and cargo spacecraft, as well as special-purpose satellites such as Cosmos, Resurs-F, Foton and Bion.
The rocket has payload of up to 6,950 kilograms. This was the first launch of a Soyuz-U rocket this year.
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jul 14, 2011 11:28:11 GMT -5
Vid, rt.com/news/soyuz-satellites-us-globalstar/New Soyuz puts six US satellites in orbit. RT.com 13 July, 2011, 09:02 It was third time lucky for Russia's space agency which finally launched six US Globalstar-2 communication satellites into orbit on a modernized Soyuz-2 carrier. Blast-off took place at 6.27am Moscow time on Wednesday from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Initially, the launch was scheduled for Monday, but was postponed twice due to technical reasons. The Globalstar satellites that provide satellite phone and data communications will enable high-quality voice and date services for more than 120 countries across the world. Most satellites for Globalstar have been sent into orbit from Baikonur space center. |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jul 18, 2011 17:42:00 GMT -5
Vid, rt.com/news/popovkin-space-industry-soyuz/No space exploration without Russia. RT.com 18 July, 2011, 10:00 Possessing the biggest-yet space telescope, just launched into orbit, and the only manned spaceship that can take cosmonauts to the ISS, Russia’s role in world space programs is irreplaceable, the country’s space chief Vladimir Popovkin told RT. RT:Well, America’s Hubble will now have company in orbit. Is the Russian telescope looking to discover something the Hubble has been missing during all these years it has been operating? Vladimir Popovkin: Foreign scientists, not Russian ones, say that our telescope is more interesting than the Hubble Space Telescope in terms of making new findings. It’s a very profound science that implies a high degree of relativity of the final result. It’s difficult to forecast anything here. The telescope makes it possible to monitor the emergence of new stars and galaxies in a radio frequency band, to see how the whole process goes and gather some statistical data on the basis of which it would be possible to predict the dynamics of development of our planet and the Universe and to understand where we have all come from and what’s waiting for us in the future. In this respect, this is a historical event which marks Russia’s return to space science. RT: America is also about to send its new telescope, the Webb, which is supposed to replace Hubble in 2040. Is there a new space research race between Moscow and Washington or are they working together? VP: It’s not a matter of racing against each other, although many would like to see that happen simply because an element of competitiveness has always been more interesting and attractive to people. First, it’s an attempt to influence voters who determine this policy, on the one hand. On the other hand, it’s also an attempt to influence the authorities with the aim of securing more money from the budget to realize their huge space ambitions. RT:It sounds like it’s nothing but rhetoric. You say there’s no Cold War-style space race? VP: I don’t see any race today. In most cases, whatever you say, we deal with international co-operation. American satellites are fitted out with Russian equipment. We install European equipment in our satellites. An Italian satellite and a Chinese mini satellite are to be launched soon. All this has become possible through international co-operation. But, of course, it’s prestigious to be a space super power. This club is still not a large one. That’s why everybody’s trying to join it. RT:With America’s shuttle program coming to an end, Russia’s set to become the only country capable of sending people into space. How long will that monopoly last? VP: The United States is planning to create a new space launch program for manned ships and build a new manned spaceship with the help of investment from the private sector by 2016. Let’s wait and see how things go. I think that today Russia’s role is irreplaceable because at the moment the world has only one manned spaceship, the Soyuz, which is capable of taking cosmonauts to orbit, including the International Space Station (ISS). RT: But that is a great responsibility too. VP: If we were unprepared, we wouldn’t have signed an agreement with NASA and the European Space agency on the delivery of cosmonauts. We are confident that we are going to fulfill that task. RT:The American media is very emotional over shutting down the shuttle program. They think it’s a shame. Do you think that Washington is making a mistake? VP: The Americans should come to terms with this reality. There’s nothing they can do about it, although the media’s reaction was painful. They think that it’s a strategic blunder in the field of developing the construction of manned spaceships. The shuttles have exhausted themselves from the point of view of reliability and efficiency. They turned out to be expensive toys which have not completely justified the expense. RT: America names exploring Mars among its top space priorities. What is Russia mostly focused on? VP: Those who say a flight to Mars is a top space priority understand that it’s a very long-term task which is unlikely to be achieved while I hold this post. This fact makes the life of those who set such priorities easier and more comfortable. In my view, there should be one main objective, it may even be the flight to Mars program, but it should develop with account taken of what’s going to happen today, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Because people need some tangible results, and the taxpayer who contributes huge sums of money to space exploration wants to see a return on his or her investment. That is why our program is split into a whole number of priorities. Yes, today we are deciding on a global issue as to what the next direction for manned space exploration is. In what way should it develop? During my meetings with space agency heads in Europe and, of course, with NASA Chief Charles Bolden as well as the French, the British, the Germans and the Italians, the main pool, so to speak, who determine space policy, we all arrived at the conclusion behind closed doors that today no single country is in a position to develop such a huge space program like a flight to Mars on its own. International co-operation is necessary. On my initiative we’ve set up an expert group which is to put together proposals by the year’s end on how to achieve this objective and how to divide obligations and responsibilities among various space agencies in order not to duplicate each other. We need to define an area of responsibility for each of the parties involved. Today, it’s not going further than talk and conversations. As for immediate tasks in the field of manned flights, the most important thing for Russia is to increase its segment. It should be adequate and should at least match the American segment of the International Space Station. The second task very important to us is returning to the international pool of manufacturers of automated spacecraft. We must regain our positions in communication satellites, Earth surveillance satellites, and meteorology satellites. These are the three major fields in automated spacecraft. As for communications, we are currently beginning to establish co-operation with Europe in the field of transponders. We have also launched two meteorology units, and in the next three years we plan to have a pool of satellites in orbit that would allow Russia to be self-sufficient in all matters that concern meteorology, weather forecasting, and any climatic emergency warning. As for Earth surveillance, we are launching our first surveillance satellite this year to detect and forecast emergencies. We are going to continue developing in this direction. I think our key task now is to use Western technology to regain our positions in third-country markets such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America, where the Soviet Union and Russia traditionally had strong positions. After all, let's face it: we are not welcome in Europe or in North America, whatever new technology we might have. Unfortunately, the social demand has changed a lot. We are planning a number of steps aimed at popularizing space exploration and revive the great public interest towards it. Priorities and life values in Russia have changed. I remember the Baikonur launch site in Soviet times. Everybody working there enjoyed first-rate supplies and high salaries. At least everyone who served there had a car and knew nothing about the deficit of basic commodities that the entire country was suffering from. Those employed in the space industry were the caste of the chosen ones. Today this caste is different, with a different profit area; therefore it’s hard to work out of populism and patriotism alone. Today’s society is more pragmatic, I can see it even in my own kids. Our third task is to complete the GLONASS. We’ve been talking about it since 2007, and it’s high time to do it. RT: What does it offer? Is it different from the American GPS or do they work in harmony? VP: It is an absolutely competitive product. The recent meeting of supervisors of the UK space agency showed that even the UK is interested in using GLONASS. They asked us to run a number of events and meetings to ensure its efficient use. I’m convinced that we will complete it this year. It will be certified by all international organizations like the ICAO and IMO to ensure it is fully-fledged operation. By this means it will reach the global market. RT: What are the main challenges Russia’s space industry is facing today? VP: The bloated size of this field is a global issue. Since 1991, 90 per cent of Russia’s space field has consisted of Soviet-era industries. Today, technology and equipment are totally different. The presence of this large number of industries impedes their efficient application. Our labor capacity and output are lower than in the West. By now, the first stage of restructuring has been completed. We've undertaken a vertical selection of industries according to their production. Now it’s time to perform this integration horizontally, i.e. establish three or four powerful holdings, each of them producing their particular rockets, control systems, and so on; and then to capitalize this field to meet the Western labor capacity and efficiency standards. Unfortunately, we still follow Soviet-era developments to a large extent. RT:President Medvedev stressed the need to modernize Russia's space industry. Although we see the trusty Soyuz rockets are still hard at work are new models being developed? VP: Today, we've been modernizing a lot of the Soviet-produced equipment such as the Soyuz 2, which is an upgrade of the rocket created by Korelyov. The Proton M launched this morning is based on the design of the 1960s. On the one hand, it's a good point which means that our predecessors did a solid and proper job that's still in demand today. As we just discussed, Russia's the only country sending people into space. Today it holds more than 40 per cent of the launch services market. But on the other hand, unfortunately Russia has lost its position in the other rapidly-developing field of satellites. Currently this area is mostly based on satellite developments of Europe and the US. RT:But people in Russia do understand that, so what's wrong? VP: The bloated size of this field is an issue which can be resolved by trying to modernize it in every aspect. We have to look at the issue from above, and say what unnecessary parts should be eliminated, even if it hurts. Now is the critical time for making these decisions. And they are being made now. RT:London's just unveiled a statue to the first man in space Yury Gagarin. Does this tell us anything about Russia's importance in keeping that legacy alive with a vibrant space industry? VP: This means recognizing the achievements of the USSR and Russia as its successor. It's also a promotion of Russia as an advanced space country. I don't think that every person going to London's pubs is aware of this fact; therefore drawing attention to it is helpful. |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Jul 28, 2011 13:46:49 GMT -5
Large infographic, en.rian.ru/images/16541/81/165418163.jpgRussian radio telescope makes first loop around Earth. 19:44 28/07/2011 MOSCOW, July 28 (RIA Novosti) Russia's Spectr-R spacecraft with a powerful radio telescope passed the lowest point of its highly elliptical orbit for the first time since its launch on July 18, the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscomos, said on Thursday. The goal of the RadioAstron space observatory project is to study various types of astrophysical objects with unprecedentedly high angular resolution in the centimeter and decimeter wavelength bands. The observatory will operate a 10-meter Space Radio Telescope working together with an international network of ground-based radio telescopes in the interferometer mode. It will obtain images of deep space objects with a resolution exceeding that of NASA's Hubble telescope a thousand times over. The current testing stage will provide all necessary data to synchronize the on-board equipment with a ground-based monitoring and data-processing center in the Moscow region. The development of the RadioAstron observatory started 12 years ago. It is the first large astrophysical instrument built in Russia since the end of the Soviet era. RadioAstron will help scientists to study processes inside active galactic nuclei, the elusive "dark matter," and the structure of the remote regions of our galaxy. It will also help create a precise model of the Earth's gravitational field. |
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Post by TsarSamuil on Aug 7, 2011 12:03:28 GMT -5
Foreign nations push into space as U.S. pulls back.
Countries including China, India and Iran are engaged in a new race to explore space. Efforts include building research centers, rockets, satellites and lunar rovers.
By W.J. Hennigan and Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times
July 22, 2011
As NASA retreats from an ambitious human spaceflight program for the foreseeable future, foreign countries are moving ahead with their own multibillion-dollar plans to go to the moon, build space stations and even take the long voyage to Mars.
Although most of the world still lags far behind the United States in space technology and engineering know-how, other nations are engaging in a new space race and building their own space research centers, rockets, satellites and lunar rovers. Their ambitions are a declaration of their economic and technological arrival.
And it's not just the Russians.
Later this year, China plans to launch into orbit the first phase of its own space station. The country has already launched six people into outer space and hopes to put a man on the moon sometime after 2020.
India is working on its second robotic trip to the moon, with plans to land a rover on the moon's surface in two years. It wants to send a human into outer space by 2016.
The European Space Agency is studying a trip to Mars by conducting a 520-day simulated voyage to the red planet. Six volunteers from various countries have been locked in isolation in a windowless mock spaceship, eating canned foods — except when they trudged through red sand and spiked flags into a mockup of Mars' surface.
Iran plans to send a monkey into space in the summer, clearing the way for a man to follow. Countries such as Israel, Japan, North Korea and South Korea are busy building their own rockets and launching them from their own facilities.
Foreign countries are decades behind the U.S. in their space programs, said Jim Lovell, commander of the tumultuous Apollo 13 mission and a member of Apollo 8, the first mission to orbit the moon. But their human spaceflight programs are just beginning as the shuttle era comes to an end for NASA.
"There should be a hollow feeling in Americans' stomachs when Atlantis lands," Lovell said. "It's hard to believe that other nations will surpass us in space technology. But if we continue down the road we're headed, it can be done. I hope we turn it around soon."
Russia, of course, has long been America's closest competitor — and partner in more recent years — in space technology, and it continues to have a $7 billion-a-year space program. It shares command of the International Space Station.
By comparison, the Obama administration's proposed NASA funding for fiscal year 2012 was $18.7 billion, but a House appropriations panel cut that to $16.8 billion last week, taking money out of NASA's space exploration and science budgets, among other areas.
The panel also eliminated funding for the James Webb Space Telescope, the partially built successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, which is among the most successful NASA programs in history.
"It's like a slap in the face for the American public who are watching their government abdicate leadership in space," said Eugene Cernan, the last astronaut to walk on the moon, in 1972.
Now that the shuttle fleet is headed for retirement, the U.S. will travel to the space station on a Russian Soyuz rocket. Russia will charge NASA $63 million to carry an astronaut. And in a unforeseen development, U.S. astronauts are learning Russian so they can converse with the cosmonauts. ;D
NASA wants private companies to one day take astronauts to the station, but that hardware isn't yet ready. The space agency also has plans to build a new launch system to send humans on deep space missions, including a mission to land on an asteroid by the mid-2020s.
But the exact destination of future missions and a formal schedule has not been defined, and there is no guarantees for the financial commitment of the billions of federal dollars needed.
The space agency has long touted that its half-century in the space race has reaped lasting economic benefits and pushed forward the technological boundaries in a wide range of disciplines, including exotic materials and medical applications. The program has also helped motivate a generation of youth to pursue careers in science and technology.
But as the luster of the Apollo moon landings gave way to a repetitious space shuttle program, human spaceflight became routine and almost mundane for many Americans. As a result, Congress perceives little public zeal to proceed with ambitious space travel.
"It is sad to see the end of the shuttle with nothing to go onto," said Jeremiah Pearson, former NASA associate administrator for human spaceflight. "We are going to become a Third World nation in spaceflight."
That is not the case for China, whose manned Shenzhou missions received constant live TV coverage and significant events during the missions such as the launch and recovery made front-page news in the nation.
The Chinese space budget is not published and is difficult to calculate. John Pike, executive director of GlobalSecurity.org, estimates that it is more than $5 billion.
Last year, the Chinese government began building a 3,000-acre space center on Hainan Island in the South China Sea, its fourth launch facility. China, striving to become a global economic powerhouse, has touted the economic benefits of the program.
"There's a very organized propaganda effort on behalf of the Chinese government about the program," said Gregory Kulacki, a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists who is based in Beijing. "They see the space program as a source of national pride."
In 2003, China became the third country to send a human into space. Three years later, it sent a probe to the moon. The country now has 21 astronauts, including two women. China is also preparing to open a space station in 2020 — the same year that the International Space Station is scheduled to shut down and de-orbit.
"The Chinese have major aspirations in space," said Marion Blakey, chief executive of the Aerospace Industries Assn. trade group. "It would be a terrible thing to watch their backs as they go into deep space while we are grounded."
China's regional neighbors have also taken note.
India has doubled its annual space budget over the last five years to $1.3 billion, said Bharath Gopalaswamy, a senior research scholar at Cornell University and Indian space analyst.
The country spent about $100 million when it sent a 3,000-pound probe, Chandrayan Pratham, or "First Journey to the Moon," to orbit the moon in 2008. Now, Indian engineers and technicians are building a rover to land on the moon's surface for the country's second moon mission, and is collaborating with the Russian government on the program.
India is also setting up a training center in the southern part of the country for astronauts. It plans to launch its first human into space by 2016, Gopalaswamy said.
"India realizes that they are not first in space," he said. "But it is important for India to show that it can build space technology and innovate."
Meanwhile, Iran, which has already launched a rat, turtles and worms into space, has plans to lift a monkey by this summer inside a capsule atop its Kavoshgar-5 rocket. The country wants to put a man into orbit by 2021.
For foreign nations, "space travel is a projection of power and pride," said Marco A. Caceres, space analyst for the aerospace research firm Teal Group Corp. "Can you imagine if the Chinese planted the flag on the moon? Americans would be envious, uneasy and questioning how it happened."
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