Russian Commentary Opposed to Lunar Exploration

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Swampcat

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Interesting commentary from Space Daily...<i>almost</i> as if Russia has its own Jeff Bell <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />.<br /><br /><center>Russia Does Not Need The Moon<br /><br /><blockquote><p align="left"><font color="orange">We are probably doing it just to remind ourselves of the maxim that the new is the well-forgotten old. There is no other explanation for this year's focus on the lunar subject. Many, if not the majority, do not see it as a problem at all. Everything is perfectly clear.</font>/p><br /><p align="left"><font color="orange">The Moon is the concern of the United States, Europe, India, and China. It goes without saying that "...Russia should not waste time if it wants to keep its lead in the lunar exploration," said Georgy Polishchyuk, Lavochkin Association CEO.</font>p></p></p></blockquote></center><br /><br />From calling the Moon an "evil black hole" to characterizing VSE as part of "Washington's global domination attitude," this writer apparently doesn't want Russia to get involved in manned spaceflight beyond LEO.<br /><br />I was surprised to read that Russia has only one working spacecraft dedicated to Earth science. Is this true? If so, considering Russia's limited funding for space, perhaps Mr. Kislyakov has a good point.<br /><br />---------------------<br /><br />BTW, I put this in M&L by default...didn't seem to fit anywhere else. It's not about any particular mission or launch. Suggestions for movement to other fora are welcomed. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>
 
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docm

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Sigh......, back to the bad old days of Russian xenophobia <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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JonClarke

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Not a return to Russian xenophobia (reading it as such is itself suggestive of xenophobia) but of a curmudgeon - of which the US has more than its share as well.<br /><br />Basically there are those who see the possibility of a human future in space as something worth striving for and those who don't. This guy, like the afore mentioned Jeff Bell, is one of the latter.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>
 
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Swampcat

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<font color="yellow">"...a curmudgeon - of which the US has more than its share as well."</font><br /><br />So true, Jon.<br /><br />I look at this as simple healthy debate. Mr. Kislyakov follows in the tradition of those who see money spent on human spaceflight to be ill-advised when there is much to do to ease human suffering here on Earth, especially when such endeavours are risky. Nevermind that those who undertake the risk do so willingly. And nevermind the advantages to humanity in general in undertaking such endeavours.<br /><br />I also believe, as I said before, that Mr. Kislyakov makes a good point about Russia spending money on human spaceflight at a time when their Earth remote sensing infrastructure is practically non-existent. Obviously, it's not an either-or situation, but much economic good can come from remote sensing. Resultant improvements in the economy could provide more funds for human spaceflight. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>
 
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JonClarke

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The Russians are rebuilding their space capability after an extremely difficult 15 years. Their are demands the expand thair manned expertise (a priceless heritage of near 50 years), straegic assets, plus communications and navigation constellations.<br /><br />Presently they have have two Earth resource satellites, Resurs-DK1 (1 m resolution) and the Monitor-E with 11 and 25 m resolution. They also have operational weather satellites (Meteor 3M).<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>
 
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