Russia And Europe Sign Space Deal

[zavvy]

<b>Russia And Europe Sign Space Deal</b><br /><br />LINK<br /><br />Russia and the European Space Agency (Esa) have signed an agreement to allow closer co-operation over the use of facilities and exchange of information. <br /><br />Esa director-general Jean-Jacques Dordain and Russian Federal Space Agency chief Anatoly Perminov finalised the deal in Moscow on Wednesday. <br /><br />As part of the agreement, Esa will let Russia use its space port in Kourou, French Guiana, for rocket launches. <br /><br />The accord will give Russia special status in Europe's space agency. <br /><br />Both sides hailed the deal as a great achievement, following four years of tough talks. <br /><br />"The project for launching Soyuz from Kourou is only a part of a grand project that leads the way to many others," said Mr Perminov on Wednesday. <br /><br />Also signed was a launcher agreement that will see the two sides share information on designing new launchers and fuels. <br /><br />The agreement over the use of Esa's space centre at Kourou envisages the development of infrastructure for launching Russian Soyuz-ST carrier rockets from the site. <br /><br />The overall cost of the project was put at 344 million euros with Russia putting in around 130 million euros. <br /><br />The first launch of a Russian Soyuz craft from French Guiana is tentatively scheduled for December 2006, Mr Dordain said. <br /><br />Mr Perminov stressed that such status does not imply Russia's immediate entry into Europe's space agency. <br /><br />He said a working group has been set up to look at the removal of administrative or legal obstacles to co-operation between Russia's space industry and Esa. <br /><br />

 

[wvbraun]

Good news. I hope we will support Russia financially to develop the Kliper (planned successor of Soyuz).

 

[Astrosag]

Good Stuff.

 

[tychotospace]

I remember that ESA is currently planned to build Phoenix manned shuttle and Russia Klipper. <br /><br /><br />I doubt that ESA or Russia research/build separtly own rocket for that manned shuttles. <br /><br />will they build together for one rocket for both shuttles?

 

[nacnud]

The Phoenix is an unmanned helicopter dropped autonomously landing test vehicle to develop technology for the future Hopper unmanned reusable suborbital first stage. It is not a shuttle.<br /><br />It would be impossible to use one rocket for both Clipper and Hopper systems as the Clipper is a replacement for the Soyuz and the Hopper is an unmanned suborbital first stage.<br /><br />Unfortunately the Hopper can't be used to launch the Clipper either as the Clippers 15 tonnes is twice the Hoppers 7.5 tonnes capacity.<br /><br />Still I think that there will be increasing co-operation between Russian and Europe in space, especially now that Arianespace is building a Soyuz launch pad in French Guiana. <br /><br />Although no manned launches are currently planned the pad will be capable of supporting manned launches in the future if ESA decides it wants them.<br />

 

[tychotospace]

yeah a mistake, I thought Phoenix should be manned. <br /><br />But ESA his manned mars plan, Aurora road map they will need a sort of manned launch vechile. <br />or they will go by Russia or NASA? <br /><br />if you wanna go to mars around 2015-2035 you better begin design/research manned transportation now. <br /><br />ESA+PKK= they will beat NASA <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />