Russian Space Program: News & Discussion #2

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
Not showing any video! I was not understanding why the mobile launchers for the Baikal.

LMFS wrote:
Yes Sir, here:

The system was expected to be based on mobile launchers and its maiden flight was scheduled for 2022, the FPI press release said.

Vann7 wrote:
http://info.sibnet.ru/ni/494/494920x630x0_1473503118.png
Jokes aside ,eventually if Russia could pull it ,and develop a very very Powerful Laser cannon either on land or space or both , this will eventually for US to got to the negotiating table with Russia ,since a very strong energy weapon system will neutralize NATO Trident missile program ,its space rockets way before they reach Russia ,with a very high probability of success , this will make next to useless the Ohio Submarine fleet..and allow Russia to
have for the first time.. the ability to strike US with very big Nuclear warheads while at the same time stay safe from NATO tridents missiles or others similar programs.

KomissarBojanchev wrote:
The billions needed to create reliable landing software(plus god knows how many years and billions in landing gear tests)  massively outweigh the cost of the voyage to reclaim parachuted rocket stages.

LMFS wrote:
In my experience the SW development is the cheapest one... .

Big_Gazza wrote:I'll re-post these as they are currently topical in this thread - the proposed methodology for re-use of the Zenit-based strap-ons of the Energia stack

Nikolai Sevastyanov: "Sphere" will receive elements of artificial intelligence

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on June 7 during the "Direct Line" reported on the unique Russian space program "Sphere", for which in the coming years it is planned to launch 600 satellites. The Head of State noted that Sphere would be able to replace the cable connection, and that the quality and coverage of the territories would not be worse, but at the same time cheaper and more affordable.


What satellites will be included in the system and how they will be launched, what breakthrough technologies will be used in the program, said Acting First Deputy General Director of Roskosmos State Corporation Nikolai Sevastyanov.

- Which satellites will be part of the Sfera system?

- Roskosmos develops global satellite groupings. Currently, the GLONASS navigation system is functioning and developing, which is actively used for solving navigation problems. The next step is the creation of a global grouping of satellites "Sphere", which will provide mobile communication and optical observation in real time at any point of the Earth. To effectively solve these problems, a greater number of small satellites in low orbits should be used.

It is important that the technology of mass production of small satellites based on the principles of mass production, which reduces specific costs, will be introduced to create the "Sphere" system. The technology of multi-satellites will increase the reliability of the Sfera system as a whole.

- On what rocket is planned to display such a number of satellites - 600 units?

- The satellites are planned to be launched by clusters on a heavy missile "Angara-5", which has already been developed. The launch vehicle complex at the Plesetsk launch site has already been built for the Angara-5 launch vehicle, and it successfully passed its first launch. This year, the construction of the second launch complex of the Angara-5 heavy rocket begins at the Vostochny space center. The Angara-5 missile is being used to replace the Proton-M heavy rocket and will provide Russia with guaranteed access to space from the Russian territory of any existing payloads to different orbits, in the interests of both public and private customers.

- Any advanced technologies will be used to create the system "Sphere"?

- When creating the system "Sphere" will use advanced developments in the field of digital technologies, including supercomputer multiprocessor systems, digital geoinformation technologies and self-learning neural networks (the ability of neural networks to self-learn is one of the examples of artificial intelligence - TASS note).

- What will the system "Sphere" give to ordinary users?

- "Sphere" is a logical development of the ideology of multisatellite systems, already implemented in the GLONASS system, for solving the problems of global navigation. The Sfera system will provide consumers with mobile communication services and surveillance anywhere in the world, which will further inform the society. Specialists of one of Roskosmos enterprises - Russian Space Systems JSC - earlier presented their proposals on one of the subsystems of "Sphere" called "Ether", which is intended for the organization of mobile communications and the Internet of things.

The text was provided by the press service of Roskosmos.

PapaDragon wrote:Parachutes, just like I said. Keep it simple.

Roskosmos will cooperate with the Space Center of France

MOSCOW, June 15 (Itar-Tass) - RIA Novosti. Roscosmos signed an agreement with the National Center for Space Research of France (CNES) on cooperation in space science and space exploration, the state corporation said on Friday.

The agreement was signed at a meeting between Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin and CNES President Jean Yves Le Gallue at the residence of the French Ambassador to Russia, the organization said.

"The result of the meeting was the signing of the relevant agreement, which will help develop the relationship between the two space powers," the report said.

The main areas in which cooperation will develop are research into the solar system, the physics of the Sun and the Earth's environment, life science and materials science in microgravity, astronomical studies using spacecraft, the Roskosmos said.

According to Rogozin, the parties agreed on yet another meeting in order to discuss "the most promising areas for the application of mutual efforts," the state corporation adds.

Practical tests of methane rocket fuel took place in Russia

In Russia there have been tested methane rocket fuel. This was told by the chief designer of the Energomash Research and Production Association, Pyotr Levochkin.

More precisely, rocket engines tested methane components of this fuel. The Keldysh Center together with KBCA (part of NPO Energomash) and KBHM (part of the Khrunichev Center) are engaged in development, Levochkin specified.

According to him, at present not only theoretical studies are being carried out, but practical tests are also being carried out.

"Today, not only theoretical studies, but also the most real fire tests of rocket engines on oxygen-methane fuel," - said Levochkin.

As the main designer of Energomash clarified, "the industry has accumulated certain experience with such an explosive substance as methane."

As Levochkin points out, methane does not make any sense at the first stages of the launch vehicles, it is more effective to use such fuel only for the upper stages. In addition, the extensive resource base allows us to say that the use of methane as a component of fuel is advisable because of its relative cheapness. In addition, the engine, working on methane components, can well prove itself when flying to nearby planets - for example, to Mars. And you can return from the planet if you get the appropriate raw materials and prepare fuel from it.

Already in the near future Energomash intends to create a new engine with a thrust of 80-100 tons. It will be designed for light and medium commercial missiles built on the basis of RD-120.

"The new engine will be created entirely in digital, we plan to make maximum use of additive technologies and composite materials," Levochkin said, noting that practical tests of the RD-171MV engine for the new medium-sized Soyuz-5 launch vehicle are scheduled for next year.

"For the manned launch of the missile, which is planned for 2024, we plan to put the RD-171MV engine in 2023," said the chief designer of Energomash, stressing that the RD-171MB uses only the Russian element base, in particular, entirely domestic ones are control and regulation systems.

The engines for the Angara launch vehicles - RD-191 and the upgraded version of the RD-191M, may receive a composite nozzle that can operate at extreme temperatures of about 1300 degrees Celsius, and details produced with additive technologies. As is known, at very high temperatures steel begins to melt, and nickel alloys become brittle and break down. : ///

AlfaT8 wrote:Has there been any move in Russia to develop Linear Aerospike engines, like the XRS-2200??

from what i could find, we are looking at 20% improvement in fuel efficient, which seems very unlikly, but if true, this combined with new PDE engines (if the design allows), we could see a minimal improvement of around ~30%.

Scientists from Russia and Switzerland are developing a laser method for launching a satellite

MOSCOW, June 18 - RIA Novosti. The Russian company Galaktika together with colleagues from the Swiss university Dltech are working out the concept of launching satellites into orbit using a laser cannon, told RIA Novosti technical director of the Galaktika group of companies Alexander Ilyin.

Scientists sent electronic music to one of the stars
A similar project Lightcraft began to be developed in the US since the 1970s. The principle of operation is based on the transfer of energy by laser radiation to a special apparatus that outputs a payload into space. The beam turns the plasma into a plasma in front of the spacecraft, and the latter, through superconducting magnets, pushes the air down. As part of the experiments carried out in the 1990-2000's, it was possible to raise the target to a height of 30 and then 70 meters.

"The principle of the carrier is based on the transfer of energy by laser radiation, part of the laser beam is forwarded by an optical channel and ionizes the air flow in front of the apparatus." The ionized flux is directed by the superconducting magnet in the opposite direction, "Ilyin said.

It is planned to use the laser "gun" created in Switzerland at the Dltech Institute (Yverdon-les-Bains)

laser power of 300 kilowatts. However, to deduce 100 kilograms of payload will require a laser power of 40 megawatts, which is also being developed by the institute's specialists. "The team of the Institute carried out calculations of laser parameters with a power of 40 megawatts," Ilyin said.
According to the developers, the creation of such a system will reduce the cost of removing cargo by 10-100 times to 500 US dollars per kilogram, and the pioneer company will be able to win up to 95% of the launch services market.

According to the calculations of the "Galaxy", the project can be implemented within five years, after which it will go to the commercial use phase. The total cost of the project is estimated at $ 107 million.

AlfaT8 wrote:Has there been any move in Russia to develop Linear Aerospike engines, like the XRS-2200??

from what i could find, we are looking at 20% improvement in fuel efficient, which seems very unlikly, but if true, this combined with new PDE engines (if the design allows), we could see a minimal improvement of around ~30%.

AlfaT8 wrote: Uhm gents, where do we stand here??

Any Soviet programs that could be revived for this?