Tag: Russia

Russia Plans to Test Nuclear Power Generation at ISS

Russia Plans to Test Nuclear Power Generation at ISS

The Russian newspaper TASS has an intriguing, but agonizingly scant on details article about plans to use the International Space Station to a test elements of a “megawatt class” nuclear propulsion system. “Specifically, Roscosmos expects to receive “proposals on the rational structure of key elements, systems and items of a perspective nuclear propulsion unit intended […]

Russia Still Wants to Send Tourists Around the Moon

Russia Still Wants to Send Tourists Around the Moon

A long touted lunar circumnavigation for space tourists is back in the news with reports from Russia that RSC Energia now has 8 possible candidates for the mission, which would take place aboard a specially modified Soyuz. The story from Sputniknews, actually quotes an interview from another paper Izvestia, which somewhat paradoxically (or not) made […]

A Potential Russian Reduction in ISS Could Imperil U.S. Commercial Progress

A Potential Russian Reduction in ISS Could Imperil U.S. Commercial Progress

Today, two NASA astronauts on the International Space Station installed the International Docking Adapter which was carried to orbit in the trunk of the SpaceX CRS-9 Dragon capsule. With the first of two IDA’s now in place, the Station will be ready to receive U.S. Commercial Crew missions, which could begin with a test flight […]

The Ties That Bind: Russian / Chinese Engine Cooperation

The Ties That Bind: Russian / Chinese Engine Cooperation

From Tass: “Russia and China are actively discussing the prospects of cooperation in space rocket engine-making, creating a heavy rocket, space stations and making long-distance space flights, Russia’s Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov told TASS on Tuesday. “Our country has substantial potential accumulated in the sphere of engine-making. This is a well-known fact,” the ambassador […]

Posted in: Chinese space, Congress
Russian Space Problems Continue

Russian Space Problems Continue

Russia’s space problems continue. Yesterday, TASS reported the following: “Launch of Soyuz MS manned spacecraft, which is due to take a new expedition to the International Space Station, has been rescheduled for July 7 from June 24 due to control system flaws that may disrupt the ship’s docking with the ISS, a source in the […]

Posted in: Russian Space
Russian Space Minister: Program Will “Never Catch Up” to SpaceX Innovation

Russian Space Minister: Program Will “Never Catch Up” to SpaceX Innovation

  Russia still leads the world in total number of space missions launched, but for how long?  Here is an unusually blunt assessment of the state of that nation’s space program by the always loquacious Dmitry Rogozin. From the Moscow Times: “Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has been left red-faced after telling reporters that “Russia […]

Posted in: Russian Space
Not (N)Yet! : Russia’s Inaugural Launch Delayed for 24 hours

Not (N)Yet! : Russia’s Inaugural Launch Delayed for 24 hours

From Tass: “The first launch from the Vostochny spaceport was due to take place at 5:01 a.m. Moscow time (02:01GMT) on Wednesday. Russia’s government commission at the Vostochny spaceport earlier approved of the decision to carry out the launch. The Soyuz-2.1a space rocket was due to put three satellites – Lomonosov, Aist-2D and SamSat-218 – […]

Posted in: Russian Space
Russia Prepares To Inaugurate a New Space Era at Vostochy

Russia Prepares To Inaugurate a New Space Era at Vostochy

After a somewhat troubled development which featured launch vehicle changes, worker strikes and charges of corruption, Russia is finally ready to christen its new Vostochny Cosmodrome in a baptism of fire, courtesy of a Soyuz 2.1a rocket. Liftoff of the first booster to fly from the new spaceport, which is located in the nation’s Far […]

Posted in: Russian Space
Russia Maintaining Long Term Lunar Ambitions

Russia Maintaining Long Term Lunar Ambitions

Despite its current problems, which include a 30% cut in funding over the next decade, and the recently announced delay of its heavy lift launch vehicle plans, the Russian space program is keeping its long term ambitions focused squarely on the Moon. Sergey Krikalev, executive director of Roscosmos State Space Corporation told TASS on April […]

Posted in: Moon, Russian Space
Russia Wants a Heavy Lift Booster It Has No Use For

Russia Wants a Heavy Lift Booster It Has No Use For

If you think NASA sometimes has trouble explaining just what it wants to do with the Space Launch System before it is actually used for the “Journey to Mars,” consider this somewhat bizarre explanation of Russia’s planned Fenix launch vehicle. Billed as a backup to the Angara system for the same reason the USAF insists […]

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