Europe to Join Russia in Building Next Space Shuttle

Europe to Join Russia in Building Next Space Shuttle --ANATOLY ZAK

Fri 19 Aug 05 22:07 1900 GMT // IEEE Spectrum On-Line

http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY...0805nshut.html

Development agreement takes shape during the Paris Air Show

It's all but official-Russia and Europe will soon embark on a cooperative
effort to build a next-generation manned space shuttle. Speaking at the
Paris Air Show, in Le Bourget, France, in June, Russian space officials
confirmed earlier reports from Moscow that their partners at the European
Space Agency would join the Russian effort to build a new reusable orbiter,
dubbed Kliper. After the cautious optimism they expressed at the beginning
of 2005, Russians are now confident that their European partners will be on
board for the largest, boldest Russian endeavor in spaceflight in more than
a decade.
_

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.

John Doe wrote:
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.

Combined with an Arianne or Proton launcher, than can put 20 tons into
orbit, what can the shuttle do that this can't do?

Only land 14 tons from Space, and there's not much demand for this
service. Oh - and seven crew instead of six.

I personanly think for simple space access, the T-space concept seems
the best.

Alex

On 20 Aug 2005 02:36:24 -0700, "Alex Terrell"
wrote:


Combined with an Arianne or Proton launcher, than can put 20 tons into
orbit, what can the shuttle do that this can't do?

10 more tons. Lower-g launch and landing. Serve as an orbiting
construction site.

Only land 14 tons from Space, and there's not much demand for this
service.

Actually, yes there is. See MPLM, which never comes home empty.

Brian

John Doe wrote:

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.

....or should we say: What the shuttle was supposed to do?

Rainer

In article , John Doe wrote:

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.

Whatever it is that the Shuttle does, it won't be doing it five years
from now. The future belongs to more rationally designed launchers and
vehicles.

Might it make sense for NASA to use Kliper (if it happens) for access
to Low Earth Orbit?

Kliper could be launched on an exisitng EELV platform, so would avoid
the need to develop the Stick / Kebab / White Elephant.

Or is it the other way round? The need to justify the Stick means NASA
can't use Kliper.

It seems competition for Kliper at concept stage presently comes from
T-Space's air launch option.