Jim Oberg wrote:
It's all but official-Russia and Europe will soon embark on a cooperative
effort to build a next-generation manned space shuttle.

While this is a most interesting development, it is not a shuttle
replacement, by far. It is a soyuz replacement. Falls quite short of
what the shuttle can do. But compared to soyuz, it is a great/huge improvement.


What is interesting according to Anatoly Zak's web site
(www.russianspaceweb.com) is that it should have the ability to stay in
space for 365 days. Twice what Soyuz can do.

What I don't quite understand is that the new shape which has small
wings would have winglets. My understanding is that winglets end up
reducing wind resistance to make fllight more efficient. Isn't the
purpose of a space vehicle totally the opposite during re-entry, wanting
to be as inefficient as possible to bleed speed ?



With shuttle's replacement still vapourware, there is the chance for
russia and europe to come up with a working vehicle before the USA. This
may help NASA get funding because US politicians will see this as a
competition, amd may make it a bit harder for politicians to cancel CEV
at the first cost overrun.

On the other hand, should the russia/ESA come out with their Klipper on
time, and NASA have delays and cost overruns with its CEV, politicians
may decide NASA is really incompetant and can the project alltogether.