Russian Space Program: News & Discussion #1

Big_Gazza wrote:The Baikal concept is my idea of a practical booster return system.  A modified URM-1 module with a swing wing, a small air-breathing engine and UAV controls to provide cross-range capability to allow flight to a recovery airstrip.  If the engine module could be made easily decoupled by bolted structural sections, graylock couplings for piping connections and plug-in electrical connectors for controls & instrument loops, the Baikal could be rapidly turned around by fitting a new engine and full systems retesting before going back into the inventory.  The disconnected engine module then goes to refurb for inspection, boroscope checks, clean-up/de-coking and a test burn before going back into the pool.

SpaceX has persisted with their powered stack descent and tripod landing, and have managed to land on a marine barge (an impressive achievement), but I still don't like the concept.  Its too hit or miss, and a failed landing scraps the whole stack.  I'm also not convinced that a powered vertical ascent isn't a lot of thermal strain on the engine bay.  I'd much rather a UAV-style return and aircraft landing, as its gentler on the hardware and is far more fault-tolerant (depending on fuel supply, you can stack the cores in a holding pattern while you bring them home).

Vann7 wrote:

Big_Gazza wrote:The Baikal concept is my idea of a practical booster return system.  A modified URM-1 module with a swing wing, a small air-breathing engine and UAV controls to provide cross-range capability to allow flight to a recovery airstrip.  If the engine module could be made easily decoupled by bolted structural sections, graylock couplings for piping connections and plug-in electrical connectors for controls & instrument loops, the Baikal could be rapidly turned around by fitting a new engine and full systems retesting before going back into the inventory.  The disconnected engine module then goes to refurb for inspection, boroscope checks, clean-up/de-coking and a test burn before going back into the pool.

SpaceX has persisted with their powered stack descent and tripod landing, and have managed to land on a marine barge (an impressive achievement), but I still don't like the concept.  Its too hit or miss, and a failed landing scraps the whole stack.  I'm also not convinced that a powered vertical ascent isn't a lot of thermal strain on the engine bay.  I'd much rather a UAV-style return and aircraft landing, as its gentler on the hardware and is far more fault-tolerant (depending on fuel supply, you can stack the cores in a holding pattern while you bring them home).

there reverse landing could proof to be invaluable for reverse landing in surfaces like moon or mars. if you deploy first the pad for landing.

Development of conceptual and technical projects of advanced manned transport system (PCA), designed to replace the ships the ships "Union TMA" and "Progress M" and be used for missions to the moon, completed, reported in the Rocket-space Corporation (RKK) "Energy".

Russia to Create New Powerful Plasma Rocket Engine

A Russian rocket engine company, with the assistance of a major research and development institute, will work on a project to create a powerful electrodeless plasma rocket engine, Russia's Roscosmos space corporation said Wednesday.

The project will be developed by the Kurchatov Institute, Russia's leading research and development institution in the field of nuclear energy, and the Chemical Automatics Design Bureau (CADB).

"The project involves the development of a new-generation electrodeless plasma engine. It is a high-power engine using fuel in a plasma state. It has a high energy efficiency, an ability to use almost any kind of rocket fuel... and its maximum engine power is limited only by the power supply of a high-frequency generator," Roscosmos said in a statement.

According to Roscosmos, the implementation of the ideas incorporated in the proposed project became possible due to the advance made in the study of plasma fusion process, in the development of high-temperature superconducting technology and modern electronic components of high-frequency generators.

OminousSpudd wrote:Won't quote you RMF because I know you're probably on everyone's ignore list by now. But you do know that the nation who's R&D you idolize so much has been putting ridiculous amounts of money into the creation of fusion type reactors and power sources, right? So much so in-fact that LM has come out and made the ridiculous claim that they will have an operational Cold Fusion reactor by ~2020 or thereabouts. But hey, two sets of rules for two different nations am I right? I'm sure you think what they're doing is fantastic and has massive potential.

MOSCOW, may 30 — RIA Novosti. First world's most powerful laser system the UV-2M will launch in Sarov (Nizhny Novgorod region) at the end of 2017, said Director of the Russian Federal nuclear center — all-Russian research Institute of experimental physics (Sarov) Valentin Kostyukov on the forum "ATOMEXPO-2016".


Construction is on schedule, created at the same time the technological equipment, he said.
According to Kostyukova, 95% in the laser unit will be used Russian technology.
Laser system of new generation intended for fundamental research in physics of high energy densities, including the use of laser thermonuclear fusion energy. The UV-2M will have a dual purpose, one of which is military. Experiments in the physics of hot dense plasma and high energy density, which are held on this kind of installations can be focused on the creation of thermonuclear weapons. The second direction and energy. Laser nuclear fusion can be used to develop energy of the future.
At a meeting of the scientific and technical Council of the nuclear weapons complex of Rosatom, the developers of the installation noted that the creation of the UV-2M is important for research into new energy sources, explore states of matter, experiments for modeling and designing of new types of nuclear weapons

GarryB wrote:Yeah, fusion does not work on earth... I guess all those bombs that use hydrogen are not real...

ekhm this laser is on Earth

Peter B. de Selding @pbdes 12:31 AM - 9 Jun 2016

Today's Proton launch is 1st for the vehicle's Phase 4 upgraded version, which adds 150 kg to Proton's performance to GTO.

Peter B. de Selding @pbdes 12:33 AM - 9 Jun 2016

ILS VP John Palme: Proton Phase 4 upgrade = lighter-weight, high-strength metallic structures & high-precision tooling for optimized design.

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes 12:37 AM - 9 Jun 2016

Why upgrade Proton w/ new-generation Angara family waiting in wings? Because Proton rocket'll remain active for another decade, ILS says.

Previously, the TASS source in the space industry reported that the Phoenix can use the RD-171 engines, which are on the media, "Zenit"
MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/. Developed in Russia, the rocket middle class "Phoenix" can get the RD-180 engine - the same used in the American media Atlas, the CEO of Issuer rocket engines NPO "Energomash" Igor Arbuzov.
"As the RD-180 has great practice of using foreign carriers, it would be unwise not to consider this experience for the Russian launch vehicles, so it is most likely that the engine will be installed on new Russian carrier rocket "Phoenix", - said Arbuzov, whose words are included in the corporate edition of the "Energomash".
"Phoenix" is planned to create by 2025, to develop a new launch vehicle will spend nearly 30 billion rubles. The media will output to low-earth orbit of up to 17 tonnes payload, including the manned program, and in geostationary orbit (with booster) - up to 2.5 tons. The "Phoenix" should be the first step of the prospective super-heavy rocket.
Previously, the TASS source in the space industry reported that the Phoenix can use the RD-171 engines, which are on the vehicles "Zenith".

Moscow. June 28. Interfax-AVN - Within the framework of the Federal Space Program (FCP) 2016-2025 it is planned to increase the constellation of eight Earth remote sensing (ERS) satellites to 23, the Federal Space Agency said Tuesday. "

"By 2025 it is planned to increase the constellation of eight satellites (in 2015) to 23 satellites orbital constellation means of remote sensing will greatly reduce the dependence of the Russian Federation on the use of foreign space data and simultaneously fulfill international obligations in the field of global hydro-meteorological observation." - Said in the text of the provisions of the French Communist Party 2016-2025, posted on the website of the state corporation.

It says that the expansion of the constellation of remote sensing capability improves the reliability of short-term forecasts in the region and increase the frequency of the data on the state of the surrounding built-up areas, suburban areas and rural settlements, the construction of roads, the state of the surrounding forests.

"In addition, space remote sensing systems are able to provide the creation of inventories of natural resources, the definition of places and scope of emergencies, monitoring ice conditions in the Arctic," - said in a press release.

The text also says that the spacecraft hydrometeorological support "Meteor-M" planned installation target apparatus COSPAS-SARSAT.
COSPAS-SARSAT - international satellite search and rescue system designed for distress and personal location beacons and beacons installed on board ships and aircraft in the event of emergencies.

Ra mp le en

MOSCOW, 29 Jun — RIA Novosti. Roscosmos is ready to proceed to the creation of the flight model, the return of the first stage of the carrier rocket, the Khrunichev center, assembled a team of specialists, writes the newspaper "Izvestia".
According to the principal designer of the Roscosmos space missile system, Alexander Medvedev, the company has recreated the Department for reusable launch vehicles.
"It happened just a month ago. To work there we invited people who were created in his time "Buran". The Department is headed by Paul A. the Lehov, one of the designers of the system "Energy-Buran", — leads edition of the words of principal designer.

The center Khrunichev designs winged first stage that can return to the spaceport like a plane and land on the runway. Medvedev is convinced that Russia returned the first stage with wings coming out is the best option.
As explained by the chief designer of the Russian space Agency for space rocket complexes, the work on the return of the first stage of the center is already about 20 years old, in 2001 was introduced the first prototype system "Baikal".
The first stage of the rocket is the most expensive to produce: there are boosters that determine the media. The cost of the engines is can be up to $ 70 million.


РИА Новости http://ria.ru/science/20160629/1454001287.html#ixzz4Cxiwup1Y

Austin wrote:In Roskosmos plan to expand the constellation of remote sensing satellites with 8 to 23