Russian "Orionski" spacecraft may spark a new space race.

[LongTomH]

A New Scientist report by James Oberg says a planned Russian rocket may spark a new space race.

Russia is embarking on its most ambitious space project since the heady days of the space race: planning a new spaceship, launcher and even a new launch site. The plans are remarkably similar to NASA's Orion project and could provide a vital fallback if the US, Russia or other nations run into trouble with space missions.

Until now, Russia (and formerly, the Soviet Union) has simply upgraded its existing space facilities and hardware. Its three-person Soyuz spacecraft, for example, is now in its fifth generation in 40 years. But with top-level Kremlin backing, the Russian space agency Roskosmos is planning to entirely replace its current launch facilities, the rockets used to reach orbit, and the Soyuz itself. Future launches will take place from a new site near the Pacific coast city of Vladivostok.

"Post-Soviet Russia has never had a massive project of this kind," boasted Aleksey Krasnov, head of the agency's human spaceflight programme in a recent press briefing.

When the space shuttle is retired, if the planned Orion spacecraft is delayed - which is quite possible according to some aerospace analysts - the Russian spacecraft could provide resupply and rescue capabilities for the International Space Station. The other possibilities are the European Space Agency's Jules Verne or the SpaceXDragon spacecraft, lifted by the SpaceX Falcon 9 heavy lift vehicle.

[ConcernedCanuk]

1. Vladivostok - right on Japan's doorstep, and facing USA's West Coast

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something to ponder . . .

[tinrobot]

2. It's an awfully cold place to be launching rockets.

Mean annual temperature is 39.7 F

They may only be able to launch the 6 months out of the year when it gets above freezing.

[Salviati]

4. But it's the best place to launch in Russia...

It's best to be as close to the equator as possible, that way you get the biggest help from the rotation of the Earth. Vladivostok is about as far south as you can get in Russia. It doesn't save a lot of fuel, but every little bit counts. That's one of the reasons we launch from Florida, and the European Space Agency has a launch site in French Guiana.

[Johonny]

3. I think the agressive Chinese launch program

has really brought a new space race into the mind of many in the industry. It doesn't seem likely to me that the Russians would build anything like the Orion because they don't in general use large solid rocket boosters. It certainly would be a bad sign if they started to.

[14thColony]

5. Why would it be a bad sign? Of what? nt

[Dead_Parrot]

6. SRB's have little to do with it

I think the Russians have been traditionally leery of solid fuel rockets because they are a nightmare to clear up after: Whilst from Kennedy most cock-ups wind up in the sea, from Baikonur or Plesetsk they wind up up land - and accidents involving ammonium perchlorate can be messy.

Bear in mind the Russian Angara will have a similar capability to the Ares I (the launch vehicle for Orion), even though the Ares is SRB based and Angara is LOX/RP1 based: They really don't need to go down the SRB route.

[Johonny]

7. actually

The Russians had problems making it in the beginning. Leading to explosions at their plants. Their launch vehicles pretty much locked in on liquid boosters instead. Even their shuttle used liquid boosters. Either way most perchlorate damage comes not at the pad but at the manufacturing site (not very near the cape), or in the stratosphere where it destroys the ozone layer. Given the Russians had much more aggressive launch rates than the US. The fact they didn't use solids was a happy time for anyone that loves the Ozone layer.

[Dead_Parrot]

8. why "was"?

Have you seen something to suggest the Russians are switching to solid fuel?

[Posteritatis]

9. I hope it *does* spark a new space race. (nt)