New Russian spacecraft to be announced

[docm]

Orbital version shown, lunar version below.

LEO version looks to be Orion sized with a similar service module, but with a 'steeper' conical section more like SpaceX's Dragon.

RussianSpaceWeb.com....

BBC....(pretty much uses RSW's story)

NewScientist....

RSW -

Russia to unveil future manned spacecraft

Published: 2009 April 2

Russia's federal space agency, Roskosmos, is expected to formally select a prime developer of the nation's next-generation manned spacecraft Monday.

A proposed new spacecraft will replace the venerable three-seat Soyuz capsule, which carried Russian cosmonauts into orbit for more than four decades.

Two leading companies RKK Energia of Korolev and Moscow-based Khrunichev enterprise competed to win government funds for the project. There is no doubt that RKK Energia will lead the development, however it is also possible that Khrunichev will retain an important support role. The selection of prime developer will clear the way to the preliminary development of the project, which is expected to last until June 2010.

Although Roskosmos remained tight-lipped about the upcoming presentation, the agency had quietly released its requirements for the future manned transport to the Russian space industry, shedding the light on the design of the vehicle and its possible missions.

More.....

 

[Boris_Badenov]

That's a damned good looking ship. The article discusses Lunar missions & a Lunar orbital station. They've got big plans & they just dropped a little hint.

 

[docm]

Is it me or does that stern section look a lot like an expandable habitat module akin to Bigelow's & TransHab? It would make sense for a lunar orbital station. Since Bigelow licensed his tech from NASA and it's presumably patented I wonder how Russia plans to handle the rights issue?

I'd love to see Roskosmos's phone bill to see if there's been significant traffic to Las Vegas

 

[MarkStanaway]

The proposed cargo version is quoted as having a capacity of 2000Kg up and 500 Kg down.
This does not seem to be that much of an improvement over Progress's capabilities. I believe that it typically delivers 2500 kg of fuel and dry cargo to the ISS. Even though Progress does not have a cargo return capability these figures seem to be very modest.

 

[Boris_Badenov]

Is it me or does that stern section look a lot like an expandable habitat module akin to Bigelow's & TransHab? It would make sense for a lunar orbital station. Since Bigelow licensed his tech from NASA and it's presumably patented I wonder how Russia plans to handle the rights issue?

I'd love to see Roskosmos's phone bill to see if there's been significant traffic to Las Vegas

The thing I found odd about the the Hab looking module is that it's at the back. The engines have to be poking out the back of it & the machinery for the engine & tanks has to take up a substantial amount of the available space back there. Maybe it's not really a hab, but part of the Lunar Drive section instead. Kind of like a Service Module. Furthermore, if it was a hab, how would the crew access it? The docking section of that capsule is very obviously in the nosecone.

 

[ThereIWas2]

I can't imagine they would put a hole in the heat shield to get back there, so I doubt that is a hab. Plus the engine is back there. Perhaps expandable fuel tanks of some sort? It does appear to be expanded certainly.

If that is a lunar version, where is the lander? Perhaps they plan to send the lander separately, and THAT is the hab space. They just do not try to launch it all at once. That sounds like Russian practicality.

 

[docm]

Not to mention that our view is obstructed by the "hab". There could well be a Bigelow-style propulsion bus hiding back there that docks to the hab and we're just seeing the exhaust cone.

Let's also not forget that the version of Gemini developed for the MOL (manned orbiting laboratory) had a hatch through its heat shield for entry into the laboratory.

Further; the lander, if any (not needed for just an orbital lab mission), could dock to the spacecraft Apollo/Orion style.

Gemini heat shield hatch

 

[aphh]

I think the lower image is simply lacking the lunar lander, that would be docked to the front. The whole back segment in the lower image looks like a powerful propulsion unit for the translunar travel.

Let's not forget Soyuz was also planned for translunar flights, so they didn't see the small habitable volume as a problem.

 

[docm]

Not for a short mission like Apollo, but if they wanted to set up an orbiting base for extended missions that's a different matter and an expandable hab would fit the bill nicely.

 

[dragon04]

He definitely looks Russian. Pretty cool-looking ship though.

Considering the outstanding performance and reliability of the various generations of Soyuz vehicles over the decades, it's hard to comprehend moving beyond them and to something new.

On the upside, I'm certain that the new Russian vehicle will be every bit as robust and reliable as its predecessor.

 

[j05h]

still looks like an old VA capsule attached to a small Bigelow inflatable. Hatch-through the heatshield like MOL, except that the Sovs actually flew VA. Same system that "Excalibur-Almaz" reportedly purchased a few years ago.