Any other countries are planning to go up in space?

[nec208]

Does anyone know if any other countries are planning in the future to get into space exploration other than the US,China or Russia.<br /><br />And what is the plan in China are they planning on going up into space this year and what about a space station?<br /><br />Japan seems to have the technology but do they have the money? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

I am sure that Japan & India, in the not too distant future will launch crewed <br />spacecraft.<br /><br />The Chinese had spoken about their own space station, but there does not seem to be<br />any developments, although having said that, they do not always release information<br />until the very last minute.<br /><br />Japan, no doubt.<br /><br />Good question.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[ckikilwai]

Well the European Space Agency is doing a study together with the Russians on a new Soyuz that is capable to fly to the moon.<br />And if the ministers agree on building it in 2008, it's possible that Japan wants to join in too.

 

[wize1]

What is the completion date ?

 

[dragon04]

IIRC, India has designs on manned space flight as well. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[thereiwas]

If you restrict the list to those countries that will build their own launchers, their own spacecraft, their own missions control, it will be a small list.<br /><br />If you mean countries (and business) who will buy a seat from someone else (SpaceX, Russia) to go travel to an existing destination (Bigelow), to then do whatever they were going to do, it will be a much larger group.

 

[spacy600]

Yes it is silly to reinvent the wheel.<br /><br />I wonder if the US will restrict Bigelow from flying<br />certain countries to his destinations.

 

[j05h]

Bigelow's approach of a "private international space corp" does have some potential ITAR issues. I'm not sure how they will make it work. One way to smother the problem would be to use international partners for major systems, but this seems unlikely. BA modules may simply be cleared for international use - that is the path to essentially unlimited solar system access. They may have locked racks (which makes some sense anyway) that allow major systems to be beyond the reach of anyone but their own onboard stafff. Whatever specific route pursued, Mr. Bigelow has so far shown outstanding results. <br /><br />In one sense, they have already passed the major ITAR hurdles. They've flown twice on Dnepr, that should be at least as tough to clear as having (most) internationals in a secure space station. They may simply be working with Commerce and AST to be compliant from the start. I think Mr. Bigelow once said it had been a major PITA to get their ITAR paperwork. <br /><br />In answer to the parent question. It may not matter which "countries" get to space. There are corporations in the game that are on the verge of providing anyone with passage and station time. I guess you can assume people who are security risks won't be allowed to fly, but that is already the same with most travel. The real question is who will provide affordable, safe space travel to the masses? <br /><br />The main players in this are corporations in the USA and Russia/fUSSR. JAXA is getting into the "exploration" end (willing to buy rides), but may still build it's own crew launcher. ESA is perpetually studying things. The Chinese system, while the most advanced crew spacecraft in the world, appears to be linked only to their military program with no commercial interest - this is highly self-limiting even with their cautious, stepwise program. <br /><br />In light of the various government systems, keep in mind roughly what might be commercially available in 10-15 years. For about $1Billion you will be a <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[ckikilwai]

"What is the completion date ?"<br />There is no date set, it's only a study at the moment.<br />We actually know very little about it, maybe we get more official information in 2008, when it is published for the council.<br /><br />Some information about the Crew Space Transportation System (CSTS), as this new Soyuz will be called, can be found here .

 

[docm]

Their Fregat tug looks a lot like Armadillos hardware, or vice versa <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">If you mean countries (and business) who will buy a seat from someone else (SpaceX, Russia) to go travel to an existing destination (Bigelow), to then do whatever they were going to do, it will be a much larger group.</font>/i><br /><br />If all goes well (keep your fingers crossed), then I think the concept of a space program will be radically different in about 5-15 years (a very short time from a space perspective). Consider the different ways you can become a space-faring nation:<ul><li>Buy a seat on Soyuz for a short, 2 week mission to ISS (about $20 million);<li> Buy a six-month slot on ISS (I bet Russia will start selling one of their slots, and one slot will always be rotated between the other (not US/Russia) members of ISS);<li> Rent/buy space on a Bigelow module; <li> Rent/buy an entire Bigelow module; <li> Rent/buy an entire Bigelow station.</li></li></li></li></li></ul><br />Meanwhile, you will be buying access to orbital facilities on probably one or more vehicles including Soyuz and/or Soyuz+ESA launching from Kourou, maybe Orion/Ares I (buy a seat?), SpaceX, Lockheed-Martin, Virgin Galactic, Rocketplane-Kistler, etc. I am hoping that there will be at least 2-3 means to LEO.<br /><br />Push this out to 2020-2025, and you might see similar activities toward the Moon.<br /><br />The key is that a "space program" is being outsourced. You buy a certain amount of "destination" from one group, and you buy "access" to that destination from another group.</i>

 

[hiro2002]

I think Japan will not build manned spacecraft.<br /><br /><br />http://www.jaxa.jp/about/2025/index_e.html<br /><br />http://www.jaxa.jp/about/2025/pdf/summary_e.pdf<br />Page 18<br /><br />"Witin about 20 years "(!?!?!?)<br />"Realize a human transportation return vehicle by launching expendable launch vehicles and initiate the development of a human reusable transport vehicle."<br />"Within about 10 years , seek for decision by the government on whether to proceed in the development of Japans' own human transportation vehicle."<br /><br /><br />After 20 years!!!!!!!!!??????? <br /><br />Not 2 years, but T W E N T Y years!!!!<br /><br />After 20 years, all members who wrote this summery will retire , and forget this document.<br /><br /><br />How about ESA?<br />I heard that Ariane V is designed to launch manned spacecraft.<br /><br />(1) ESA<br />(2) India<br />(3) Brazil<br />

 

[dreada5]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>We actually know very little about it, maybe we get more official information in 2008, when it is published for the council.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Here's a bit more recent news coverage from BBC:<br /><br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6260724.stm<br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6251428.stm (There's talk of building on the ATV and using it as a starting point for future crew transportation hardware).

 

[nec208]

In answer to the parent question. It may not matter which "countries" get to space. There are corporations in the game that are on the verge of providing anyone with passage and station time. I guess you can assume people who are security risks won't be allowed to fly, but that is already the same with most travel. The real question is who will provide affordable, safe space travel to the masses? <br />===============<br /><br /><br />Each country is different than the private sector.The private sector is for money not science.<br /><br />From what others tell be there are many private sectors getting into the space race and just like we have 5 or 10 companies that are in the cermercial are trivial you see 5 or 10 companies into the cermercial space trivial .<br /><br />They will build craft and have ports in different areas of the world like airports but this will be space-ports.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[j05h]

<i>> Each country is different than the private sector.The private sector is for money not science. </i><br /><br />Yes, countries are far slower to react than corporations. The "private sector" is a very broad brush - there are plenty of private companies entirely devoted to science, Malin Space Systems being a prime example. There are also plenty of aerospace companies that develop and fly science missions, usually for governments but not always. The "private sector" can include non-public universities, non-profits and deep-pocketed adventurers - all with very different goals and techniques. <br /><br />The fact that new space businesses are being built should indicate a larger interest in space. More service/product providers can only aid governments that are interested in space development. It's a lot easier to just buy something than design and build it from scratch, again.<br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[nec208]

Well that just hope Japan and India get into the space program.<br /><br />If not I hope China gets very powerful with its space and military program to get other countries off of their couch.Well China still has some catching up to do before a other space race starts.So the US is not worry over China space and military power now, but if China really catches up in the next 5 or 10 years the US will be all over its space program.<br /><br />The US or Japan will not allow China to dominate space .<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[nec208]

Do think now with that earthquake in Japan its going to cost so much money they may not want to spend money on space? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bdewoody]

Japan is always under the threat of earthquakes. I don't see where this one will create any major setbacks in their space program. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em><font size="2">Bob DeWoody</font></em> </div>