How will space be divided in 2024?
I will begin with a term that is not at all cosmic, but is known to every Russian. And I am sure that for 97% of the population there is nothing positive in this term.
Privatization is the process of changing property relations when a state enterprise is transferred to other forms of ownership, including collective, joint-stock and private.
The term is quite earthly, but here's the catch: as the media told us, the Trump administration announced its intention to privatize its part of the International Space Station. Resource station is coming to an end, and after 2024, the ISS funding for NASA is scheduled to stop.
The idea is not new at all, but today the ISS has two further paths: either a bulge to the Pacific Ocean, a classic one, or ...
Or a private space station will appear in orbit.
The most interesting thing is that the queue of those who want is not exactly lined up to Cape Canaveral, but it is. The first, of course, was Ilon Mask, whose ambitious plans require a supporting platform in space.
The second was Jeff Bezos, the notorious owner of "Amazon", whose finances and plans quite allow to join the space race for spending money and other pleasures.
But Mask and Bezos are men more than serious, and therefore, as recent events show, they have enough ambitions, money, personnel, and good luck.
However, let me say that there, in space, together with the ISS, the Russian part of the station is also hanging out. Which, I'm sorry, is not subject to US privatization.
It turns out that the same situation is with our stub!
In general, with our part the plans are the most Napoleonic. Either undock and on the basis of this segment build a new orbital station, or something else. In general, they are already skipping, as always, in our Rogozin style: why do we need all this, we will build a station on the Moon and near it! In 2150, but let's be it!
Meanwhile, even on our piece, too, there is a wish!
The situation is interesting and peculiar. Americans with us are not eager to cooperate in the future, they say, undock your and crawl away. We might be glad, but the Russian part is about nothing. This is a temporary stay station, not more than that. There it’s simply not possible now to engage in full-fledged research, since we do not have a full-fledged scientific module at our disposal. But this will be the following material.
But there is another point. Since there are really willing to take Russian modules for rent on a long-term basis. There is a company that, by analogy with the Americans, wants to rent and create as much as the orbital cosmodrome. And to begin with the rent of the Russian segment of the ISS.
This is known to fans of the space theme company "S7 space transportation systems", known as the owner of the Launch Space Launch Center, story which is interesting and instructive.
In a nutshell: the United States abandoned the Sea Launch back in 2009, when the Sea Launch Company consortium collapsed. “Roskosmos” tried to sell the Sea Launch to various potential buyers, and as a result the complex went to private individuals. The CEO of S7 Group, Vladislav Filyov, could be congratulated on a promising acquisition. 17 April 2018, the S7 Group became the owner of the Sea Launch.
However, the subsequent collapse of relations with Ukraine almost put an end to the “Sea Launch” (hereinafter MS for short). The MS was designed to work with the Zenit launch vehicle, which was produced including Yuzhmash ...
It seems that the project is doomed. There can be no Ukrainian components, respectively, there is no launch vehicle. Yes, RSC Energia promises a certain “Soyuz-5”, but this is such a thing ... not a short one.
And in order not to repeat the fate of the first owners of the MC, the company decided to speed up the moment of the first launch from the offshore platform. Promise at the end of the year 2019. Let's see, right?
But ... "Zenith"?
Yes, "Zenith". Yes, Yuzhmash. Well, we are not able to make a rocket today, what to do. We still have to cooperate with the Ukrainians.
As Sergey Sopov, General Director of S7 Space Transport Systems, told in an interview with Izvestia, the launch vehicle will turn out to be international. "Yuzhmash" is already working in full on 12 kits for assembling the Zenit. Moreover, using the old reserve, two RNs will be available this year.
Yes, 80% Russian-made missiles. This is a fact that we do not dispute and enjoy this wonderful moment. But, alas, without Ukrainian 20% RN will not fly. This is sad, but nonetheless.
The first-stage engine of the RD-171, the second-stage combustion chamber, the control system and much more is being assembled at the Russian plants of the Roscosmos system.
But what about politics? After all, our relations with Ukraine, to put it mildly, are none.
Well, help out again ... USA!
Ukrainian components travel by sea to the United States. Russian components travel by sea to the United States. Further, in the US, the launch vehicle is assembled, loaded onto the marine complex and sent to the starting point. From California, because it is closer.
Actually, the USA as an assistant-peacemaker is so-so. However, the current helmsman Mr. Trump is so in favor of profit in any of its manifestations that it may well burn out.
Well, “Sea Launch” - this is understandable, what to do with the ISS?
If you focus on the plans of the space agencies of different countries, then everyone is eager to build a station in circumlunar orbit. Not quite clear why, but everyone wants.
It is clear that this is not a simple, costly and long. It is one thing to bring, for example, a residential module into a near-earth orbit, another thing is to deliver to the near-moon and to assemble there.
And it is possible (according to Sopov) to make something like a warehouse complex and an assembly site on the basis of MS. Display modules in the old fashioned way, assemble them, and then transport them to the Moon.
It turns out that in the presence of a production-assembly space infrastructure in the near-earth orbit, there is no need to create super-expensive super-heavy rockets to launch interplanetary ships and probes.
They can be assembled from smaller modules directly on or near the ISS. And the crews first deliver to the station, carry out adaptation to the conditions of space, and then deliver to the area of the moon and from there transport it to a ship that flies, say, to the moon.
In general, it will be pretty much more economical. And safer.
Any trouble will be much easier to eliminate, rotating above the Earth, at an altitude of just 400 km, rather than over the Moon, to which, as we know, is also almost 400. Only thousands of kilometers.
Naturally, there will be a place for scientific research.
It seems that “Bolivar will not sustain two,” that is, NASA and Roskosmos simply do not have the strength and resources for such a program. The budget is a finite thing, but the development and study of the infinite Universe requires just infinite investments.
And in this way, the desire of the American and Russian space agencies not only to get rid of the old orbiting station (operation started in 1998), but also to make money, becomes clear.
Fortunately, there are Masks, Bezos and Filev, ready to grab the shaky flag of humanity on the road to space.
Strange, of course, but really, as practice shows, it is the entry of private capital into the space industry, private initiatives, people whom the state has not accepted into the system for some reason, can be a huge impetus for taking the whole space system to a new level .
Returning to the Russian segment of the ISS, which, seriously, is just a residential module and three docking modules. That's all. Yes, someone wants to correct about “Dawn”, alas, what the ISS started with is considered a module of the Russian segment, but it belongs to NASA. So the "Dawn" is likely to remain in the US segment. Well, if only on the cheap will not give up.
But even with Zorya, the situation is so-so. In fact - a transport hub, but not a space laboratory.
But - exactly what the guys from S7 need.
By restoring the Sea Launch system itself and having received a cheaper orbital method of putting satellites and cargo into orbit, S7 is perfectly able to lease and ensure the operation of the station. So, at least, say the responsible persons of the company.
In any case, here you have to be three hands in favor: let at least something remain. Hopes for the execution of Rogozin's fairy tales about flights to the Moon and the construction of lunar tractors by a series are not enough for some reason.
An interesting picture, right?
First, the cosmos ceased to be Soviet. Then we and the Americans had to make room, and the cosmos became international. Obviously, the time is not far off, and that there is not far off, they actually come when private companies actually come into space.
And here begins quite funny things.
Without becoming personal, I will note that people like Mask or Filev are perfectly able to attract at least as good brains as they work in state corporations. And pay for it more. Because it is their money.
Moreover, I understand that in case of success Filev will simply take the best and pay them more. And there is no need to shout for patriotism, patriotism is good when you have a salary, and not ridiculous.
Filev and Sopov do not need to shake that their budget will not stand. Maybe they are also tied to private traders, but the way they did when we tried to build the Vostochny cosmodrome, it’s obvious that the victory of the state “behind a clear advantage”. So, as they steal from us, I am sure, they do not steal anywhere else.
I'm talking about government agencies, of course.
Mask and Bezos are Americans, everything is clear there, and it is worth looking at them, since they are clearly ahead now. It is in terms of personnel and other things, but capitalism and private property are here in the US for a long time.
But I hope that such times will come here too, when non-state engineers, designers, assemblers, programmers, cosmonauts will appear, let's say.
Specifically, our state today is not able to provide the country with a confident program of space exploration. We lose one position after another. For some reason, today we are unable to create a ship, a launch vehicle, an orbital station. That is something that others could easily and naturally.
The ground created by Korolev and his team, unfortunately, is over. Well, enough for 50 years, low bow and cherished memory!
But after all over the past 30 years we have not created ANYTHING !!!
What for? UR-500 of the great Chelomey (which is “Proton”) flies from 1965 of the year, with some modifications, the ship “Soyuz” of the great Queen flies from 1967 of the year, also with minimal changes in the design. Why change something, if it is still well paid for those who want to fly into space?
No, of course, I hope (quite sincerely) to see at least one project of the great Rogozin implemented. "Angara", Vostochny Cosmodrome, "Federation". Anything.
Just recently RIA "News"Issued a stunning report.
The route for launching spacecraft to the ISS from the Vostochny cosmodrome is open..
“The route for launching Soyuz-2 launch vehicles from the Vostochny cosmodrome, which can be used for launching manned and cargo spacecraft into orbit of the International Space Station, has been opened. This is stated in the document available to RIA Novosti "Alfa Insurance" - one of the companies that insure Russian space launches and satellites.
Until now, ships to the ISS were sent only from Baikonur. To launch launches to the ISS from Vostochny, it is necessary to modernize the technical and launch facilities of the cosmodrome. ”
On the one hand, it seems like peremoga. It is completely incomprehensible how this - “opened a new route”? Fresh asphalt laid or cut the ribbon?
Of course not. As I understand it, they simply prepared a mathematical calculation of the course, nothing more.
But the key point is that the new modern cosmodrome already requires modernization. The technical and launch complex is still not complete for three-quarters of the cosmodrome.
Well, laughter and zrada at the same time.
No, at a pace, perhaps, we can only observe the development of the Russian budget and study the black hole into which everything falls.
Although, perhaps, by the combined efforts of Renault and Nissan, the car industry’s hole under the abbreviation TAZ (the Togliatti Automobile Plant) still plugged. And even disc brakes on the type of "domestic" cars began to appear. In the luxury trim, but have the same?
So in terms of space, it is worth giving private organizations the opportunity to take part in its development. Let people invest money, brains, skills, let them profit from this. Why not?
Because yes, I want to see not the shaman dances of Rogozin with the “Federation” in one hand and “Angara” in the other. I want to see Russia, as before the USSR, a leading space power, and not a cab driver for everyone.
I really hope that S7 will succeed. What they will get is not something, but what is needed, and in full. For some reason, there is no desire to wait for miracles from Roscosmos.
And space will really have to be divided into zones and spheres of influence. From this not go anywhere. But not in Russian and Chinese, but in private and state.
Privatization is the process of changing property relations when a state enterprise is transferred to other forms of ownership, including collective, joint-stock and private.
The term is quite earthly, but here's the catch: as the media told us, the Trump administration announced its intention to privatize its part of the International Space Station. Resource station is coming to an end, and after 2024, the ISS funding for NASA is scheduled to stop.
The idea is not new at all, but today the ISS has two further paths: either a bulge to the Pacific Ocean, a classic one, or ...
Or a private space station will appear in orbit.
The most interesting thing is that the queue of those who want is not exactly lined up to Cape Canaveral, but it is. The first, of course, was Ilon Mask, whose ambitious plans require a supporting platform in space.
The second was Jeff Bezos, the notorious owner of "Amazon", whose finances and plans quite allow to join the space race for spending money and other pleasures.
But Mask and Bezos are men more than serious, and therefore, as recent events show, they have enough ambitions, money, personnel, and good luck.
However, let me say that there, in space, together with the ISS, the Russian part of the station is also hanging out. Which, I'm sorry, is not subject to US privatization.
It turns out that the same situation is with our stub!
In general, with our part the plans are the most Napoleonic. Either undock and on the basis of this segment build a new orbital station, or something else. In general, they are already skipping, as always, in our Rogozin style: why do we need all this, we will build a station on the Moon and near it! In 2150, but let's be it!
Meanwhile, even on our piece, too, there is a wish!
The situation is interesting and peculiar. Americans with us are not eager to cooperate in the future, they say, undock your and crawl away. We might be glad, but the Russian part is about nothing. This is a temporary stay station, not more than that. There it’s simply not possible now to engage in full-fledged research, since we do not have a full-fledged scientific module at our disposal. But this will be the following material.
But there is another point. Since there are really willing to take Russian modules for rent on a long-term basis. There is a company that, by analogy with the Americans, wants to rent and create as much as the orbital cosmodrome. And to begin with the rent of the Russian segment of the ISS.
This is known to fans of the space theme company "S7 space transportation systems", known as the owner of the Launch Space Launch Center, story which is interesting and instructive.
In a nutshell: the United States abandoned the Sea Launch back in 2009, when the Sea Launch Company consortium collapsed. “Roskosmos” tried to sell the Sea Launch to various potential buyers, and as a result the complex went to private individuals. The CEO of S7 Group, Vladislav Filyov, could be congratulated on a promising acquisition. 17 April 2018, the S7 Group became the owner of the Sea Launch.
However, the subsequent collapse of relations with Ukraine almost put an end to the “Sea Launch” (hereinafter MS for short). The MS was designed to work with the Zenit launch vehicle, which was produced including Yuzhmash ...
It seems that the project is doomed. There can be no Ukrainian components, respectively, there is no launch vehicle. Yes, RSC Energia promises a certain “Soyuz-5”, but this is such a thing ... not a short one.
And in order not to repeat the fate of the first owners of the MC, the company decided to speed up the moment of the first launch from the offshore platform. Promise at the end of the year 2019. Let's see, right?
But ... "Zenith"?
Yes, "Zenith". Yes, Yuzhmash. Well, we are not able to make a rocket today, what to do. We still have to cooperate with the Ukrainians.
As Sergey Sopov, General Director of S7 Space Transport Systems, told in an interview with Izvestia, the launch vehicle will turn out to be international. "Yuzhmash" is already working in full on 12 kits for assembling the Zenit. Moreover, using the old reserve, two RNs will be available this year.
Yes, 80% Russian-made missiles. This is a fact that we do not dispute and enjoy this wonderful moment. But, alas, without Ukrainian 20% RN will not fly. This is sad, but nonetheless.
The first-stage engine of the RD-171, the second-stage combustion chamber, the control system and much more is being assembled at the Russian plants of the Roscosmos system.
But what about politics? After all, our relations with Ukraine, to put it mildly, are none.
Well, help out again ... USA!
Ukrainian components travel by sea to the United States. Russian components travel by sea to the United States. Further, in the US, the launch vehicle is assembled, loaded onto the marine complex and sent to the starting point. From California, because it is closer.
Actually, the USA as an assistant-peacemaker is so-so. However, the current helmsman Mr. Trump is so in favor of profit in any of its manifestations that it may well burn out.
Well, “Sea Launch” - this is understandable, what to do with the ISS?
If you focus on the plans of the space agencies of different countries, then everyone is eager to build a station in circumlunar orbit. Not quite clear why, but everyone wants.
It is clear that this is not a simple, costly and long. It is one thing to bring, for example, a residential module into a near-earth orbit, another thing is to deliver to the near-moon and to assemble there.
And it is possible (according to Sopov) to make something like a warehouse complex and an assembly site on the basis of MS. Display modules in the old fashioned way, assemble them, and then transport them to the Moon.
It turns out that in the presence of a production-assembly space infrastructure in the near-earth orbit, there is no need to create super-expensive super-heavy rockets to launch interplanetary ships and probes.
They can be assembled from smaller modules directly on or near the ISS. And the crews first deliver to the station, carry out adaptation to the conditions of space, and then deliver to the area of the moon and from there transport it to a ship that flies, say, to the moon.
In general, it will be pretty much more economical. And safer.
Any trouble will be much easier to eliminate, rotating above the Earth, at an altitude of just 400 km, rather than over the Moon, to which, as we know, is also almost 400. Only thousands of kilometers.
Naturally, there will be a place for scientific research.
It seems that “Bolivar will not sustain two,” that is, NASA and Roskosmos simply do not have the strength and resources for such a program. The budget is a finite thing, but the development and study of the infinite Universe requires just infinite investments.
And in this way, the desire of the American and Russian space agencies not only to get rid of the old orbiting station (operation started in 1998), but also to make money, becomes clear.
Fortunately, there are Masks, Bezos and Filev, ready to grab the shaky flag of humanity on the road to space.
Strange, of course, but really, as practice shows, it is the entry of private capital into the space industry, private initiatives, people whom the state has not accepted into the system for some reason, can be a huge impetus for taking the whole space system to a new level .
Returning to the Russian segment of the ISS, which, seriously, is just a residential module and three docking modules. That's all. Yes, someone wants to correct about “Dawn”, alas, what the ISS started with is considered a module of the Russian segment, but it belongs to NASA. So the "Dawn" is likely to remain in the US segment. Well, if only on the cheap will not give up.
But even with Zorya, the situation is so-so. In fact - a transport hub, but not a space laboratory.
But - exactly what the guys from S7 need.
By restoring the Sea Launch system itself and having received a cheaper orbital method of putting satellites and cargo into orbit, S7 is perfectly able to lease and ensure the operation of the station. So, at least, say the responsible persons of the company.
In any case, here you have to be three hands in favor: let at least something remain. Hopes for the execution of Rogozin's fairy tales about flights to the Moon and the construction of lunar tractors by a series are not enough for some reason.
An interesting picture, right?
First, the cosmos ceased to be Soviet. Then we and the Americans had to make room, and the cosmos became international. Obviously, the time is not far off, and that there is not far off, they actually come when private companies actually come into space.
And here begins quite funny things.
Without becoming personal, I will note that people like Mask or Filev are perfectly able to attract at least as good brains as they work in state corporations. And pay for it more. Because it is their money.
Moreover, I understand that in case of success Filev will simply take the best and pay them more. And there is no need to shout for patriotism, patriotism is good when you have a salary, and not ridiculous.
Filev and Sopov do not need to shake that their budget will not stand. Maybe they are also tied to private traders, but the way they did when we tried to build the Vostochny cosmodrome, it’s obvious that the victory of the state “behind a clear advantage”. So, as they steal from us, I am sure, they do not steal anywhere else.
I'm talking about government agencies, of course.
Mask and Bezos are Americans, everything is clear there, and it is worth looking at them, since they are clearly ahead now. It is in terms of personnel and other things, but capitalism and private property are here in the US for a long time.
But I hope that such times will come here too, when non-state engineers, designers, assemblers, programmers, cosmonauts will appear, let's say.
Specifically, our state today is not able to provide the country with a confident program of space exploration. We lose one position after another. For some reason, today we are unable to create a ship, a launch vehicle, an orbital station. That is something that others could easily and naturally.
The ground created by Korolev and his team, unfortunately, is over. Well, enough for 50 years, low bow and cherished memory!
But after all over the past 30 years we have not created ANYTHING !!!
What for? UR-500 of the great Chelomey (which is “Proton”) flies from 1965 of the year, with some modifications, the ship “Soyuz” of the great Queen flies from 1967 of the year, also with minimal changes in the design. Why change something, if it is still well paid for those who want to fly into space?
No, of course, I hope (quite sincerely) to see at least one project of the great Rogozin implemented. "Angara", Vostochny Cosmodrome, "Federation". Anything.
Just recently RIA "News"Issued a stunning report.
The route for launching spacecraft to the ISS from the Vostochny cosmodrome is open..
“The route for launching Soyuz-2 launch vehicles from the Vostochny cosmodrome, which can be used for launching manned and cargo spacecraft into orbit of the International Space Station, has been opened. This is stated in the document available to RIA Novosti "Alfa Insurance" - one of the companies that insure Russian space launches and satellites.
Until now, ships to the ISS were sent only from Baikonur. To launch launches to the ISS from Vostochny, it is necessary to modernize the technical and launch facilities of the cosmodrome. ”
On the one hand, it seems like peremoga. It is completely incomprehensible how this - “opened a new route”? Fresh asphalt laid or cut the ribbon?
Of course not. As I understand it, they simply prepared a mathematical calculation of the course, nothing more.
But the key point is that the new modern cosmodrome already requires modernization. The technical and launch complex is still not complete for three-quarters of the cosmodrome.
Well, laughter and zrada at the same time.
No, at a pace, perhaps, we can only observe the development of the Russian budget and study the black hole into which everything falls.
Although, perhaps, by the combined efforts of Renault and Nissan, the car industry’s hole under the abbreviation TAZ (the Togliatti Automobile Plant) still plugged. And even disc brakes on the type of "domestic" cars began to appear. In the luxury trim, but have the same?
So in terms of space, it is worth giving private organizations the opportunity to take part in its development. Let people invest money, brains, skills, let them profit from this. Why not?
Because yes, I want to see not the shaman dances of Rogozin with the “Federation” in one hand and “Angara” in the other. I want to see Russia, as before the USSR, a leading space power, and not a cab driver for everyone.
I really hope that S7 will succeed. What they will get is not something, but what is needed, and in full. For some reason, there is no desire to wait for miracles from Roscosmos.
And space will really have to be divided into zones and spheres of influence. From this not go anywhere. But not in Russian and Chinese, but in private and state.
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