International Manned Spaceflight

[access]

This forum is mainly interested with Nasa. So I thought I would try to stimulate a discussion about International manned space flight. In the last several years Manned spaceflight has taken huge leaps particularly in asia.

Russia-Russia and Europe are somewhat inter connected, Russia has abandoned the Klipper and is now primarily involved with the PPTS program which is capsule based. Here are some images of the RKK Energia proposition

Before PPTS Russia was involved in the CSTS European program which has now turned into ACTS in which Russia is not as directly involved. Russia also has plans for a new space station called OPSEK which is based around a central module to which other module are attached. pic

Europe-The ACTS proposal has become a ATV evolution project starting with ARV or advanced re-entry vehicle that will hopefully later become man-rated.Pics

There are also many other proposals to evolve the ATV such as a mini space station.

India-The development of the OV(orbital vehicle continues and plans call for the first launch in 2015.

China-Does not appear interested in advancing launch vehicles and wil continue to run it's Shenzhou (Soyuz)

China's main interest now appears to be the tiangong series of space stations. Tiangong 1 will launch in 2010. pics

Japan-Japan is much further behind than any other of these nation but has expressed interest in creating manned space flight abilities possibly using HTV tech.

Iran-Too little information

 

[SpaceForAReason]

Seriously, international cooperation would be the best thing we could ever do. Going it alone only limits us to what we alone can afford.

Still, there is the political ramifications that surround cooperation. If relations ever sour between partmners, what then?

 

[access]

The biggest problem with how international cooperation right now is that the actual tech development isn't split so a nation has to make the whole project and just split modules or different elements.

 

[scottb50]

The biggest problem with how international cooperation right now is that the actual tech development isn't split so a nation has to make the whole project and just split modules or different elements.

I think the more diversity the better. Not two or three launchers, five, six or more. Not Dragon or Soyuz but three or four other manned vehicles. Cooperation is nice but it can box you into a corner. Southwest uses only 737's, if a problem that relates to the total fleet surfaces they are in a world of hurt. Others use mixed fleets and seems to get along just fine.

 

[neutrino78x]

Well if I get too much into this subject, it will end up in freespace, because I am hoping Europe and India succeed to a greater degree than Russia and China, as Europe and India are free!!! I support NASA doing joint projects with other free republics and the free constitutional monarchy of Britain. This is one thing I didn't like about JFK, despite being a big JFK fan, that he was considering a joint moon project with the USSR. Joint project with Britain, France, Japan, Germany, and Italy, yes...Joint project with Russia and/or China, no that wouldn't be ideal.

--Brian

 

[access]

The biggest problem with how international cooperation right now is that the actual tech development isn't split so a nation has to make the whole project and just split modules or different elements.

I think the more diversity the better. Not two or three launchers, five, six or more. Not Dragon or Soyuz but three or four other manned vehicles. Cooperation is nice but it can box you into a corner. Southwest uses only 737's, if a problem that relates to the total fleet surfaces they are in a world of hurt. Others use mixed fleets and seems to get along just fine.

I would agree that a varied fleet is necessary but seeing as the space industry is currently suffering from a lack of funding (at a national level) so it may be better to cooperate & create fewer options but address more areas than create lots in few basic areas. It all really comes done to whether you still see the space industry as space exploration or space utilization.

 

[Eman_3]

Currently, future and present activities in space would be earth sensing and communications, microgravity and associated space science, astronomical research, tourism, and space exploration. At present, the private industry is interested in earth sensing and communications, specific microgravity and space science, and space tourism. But for private industry, there is no need to go beyond geostationary orbit. A hotel on the moon is very, very far in our future.

The biggest example of space activities and international cooperation is obviously the space station. But it's lifetime is finite, and in just a few years, the USA plans to de-orbit it. But other nations have modules and equipment attached to the space station, and their schedules and needs may indicate that they wish to retain their equipment in space.

Launches and space exploration require a lot of lead time to define goals, acquire funding, plan missions, construct hardware, crew training, and finally execution of the mission. Sadly, because the USA and it's politics can at any time wreak havoc with budget cuts or change in direction, they can be considered as unreliable partners in any venture.

Other nations such as China and Russia, with governments willing and able to support long range goals, can plan missions and be expected to see them through. In my opinion, this kind of environment will deliver such missions as moon colonization, manned Mars missions, and further activities. Other nations realize this too, and will sign up with them in international cooperation.

Most likely, when NASA de-orbits the space station, Russia and others will keep their modules and equipment in orbit, reach a new agreement in co-operation, and construct a new space station beginning with remnants from the space station presently in orbit. China wants to be involved, it's just that so far, the USA has denied them and shut them out of participation in the space station. But China will most likely get involved in international projects once the space station is gone.

This new group will have their own space station, and if not directly, use it as a launch point for missions such as moon explorations and colonization, and a manned mission to Mars.

Private industry will seek out cheap, reliable launch vehicles for their needs, whether to launch telecommunications or earth sensing satellites, and satellites for science research. Space tourism will consist of sub-orbital spaceflights as proposed by Virgin Galactic. Once these kinds of flights become established, there will be very few individuals willing to part with tens of millions of dollars to stay any longer than a quick jaunt. A hotel in orbit would be incredibly expensive, and the individual costs per guest would be astronomical. I doubt it would be financially viable by itself.

 

[JeffreyNYA]

Maybe we just need a UN funded space organization. All UN members add to the bucket. But I can see the Red tape pretty much stopping anything from getting done other than collecting the money.

 

[EarthlingX]

I think, that most important thing in any future international space cooperation would be generally accepted rules of business conduct, same for all involved, independent from other, daily politics.
Some of these rules are already in practice, some are still evolving.
There is enough opposition among people who don't see a need for space expansion, it is much more productive to include everyone with capability.
Space is not only for show, it's for real.
Let's go !