Russia space co head describes fin situation as catastrophic [they're broke]

Itar-Tass ^ | 10-20-03 | Yelena Zubtova

[snopercod]

KOROLEV, Moscow reg, October 20 (Itar-Tass) - The Soyuz and Progress spacecraft construction financial situation is catastrophic, the Energia rocket and space corporation' s head Yuri Semyonov told a press conference in the Mission Control Centre after the successful docking of the Soyuz TMA-3 with the International Space Station.

The corporation has received no finances promised for the second half of this year, but it has taken big loans to be repaid from the funds.

The corporation administration did not focus attention on the issue before the blast-off and the docking, but has to inform its partners now that there may be no next launchings of a Progress and other spacecraft to ensure the ISS programme implementation in 2004.

If no finances are provided in the near future, Russia may "leave the field," and American and European partners who have already invested billions of dollars in the ISS will be affected, Semyonov said.

At the same time, Rosaviakosmos deputy director general Nikolai Moiseyev said that Rosaviakosmos had already received instructions from the Russian president and the government and had active consultations to continue Russia's participation in the ISS programme.

Russia will ensure the station work until U.S. shuttle missions resume, he assured.

NASA deputy administrator William Readdy noted in turn that the United States would do everything to restore the safety of shuttle flights by the set time -- autumn 2004.

[snopercod]

Extortion alert.

[Fitzcarraldo]

If they provide services, why don't we pay them?

[snopercod]

We can only hope that the returning Soyuz works better than the last one did.

[ElkGroveDan]

Its just a bunch of hype to get their hands on our money.

[Truth666]

end times ping

[snopercod]

That's a given.

We - the American taxpayer - paid for every single thing that the Russians were supposed to pay for as "partners" in space. They built "their" modules with American dollars.

The Russians, of course, are in charge of the "International" Space Station. Their mission control manages it. It's only fair.

[snopercod]

I didn't realize that one of the Cosmonauts was named Gabriel.

[Semper911]

describes fin situation as catastrophic

Oh, fin -- as in financial?

I thought the fins on the rockets were broke.

[Brett66]

They do this about every six months. Yawn....

[princess leah]

What happened to selling seats on the space mission for about $20 million?

[Phsstpok]

as the major creditor of the obviously bankrupt operation I suggest that the American taxpayer take it over an run it right.

I betcha that any American court would see it our way. Any non-US court? "It's the ugly American's fault!"

[Brett66]

All of their previously empty seats are being taken up by our astronaut's crew rotation on the ISS. You would think they would be doing pretty well financially since their Soyuz in such high demand now. Actually, they probably are doing ok, but that won't stop them from making empty threats every few months about how they're about to go bankrupt. Unfortunately, they have us in quite a spot, we need them to keep the ISS from being mothballed before we get our shuttles flying again.

Ironic that we end up funding the Russian space program as well as ours.

[RightWhale]

Russia may "leave the field,"

It's their call, and they are justified in looking out for their own interests.

The ISS may be abandoned. Europe has contributed little, Japan little, India little, China nothing. Russia has contributed a great deal, America has done a great deal. Canada has contributed.

It was an immature plan of space politics, exploration, and development with no clear goal beyond low earth orbit. A goal was science, but little has been done and no prospect of much science to be done.

Government development of space capability is limited. The private sector would not have such limitations, but there must be private property rights in outer space or the private sector can do nothing. Withdraw from the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty immediately and open an Outer Space Land Office to register claims.

[Normal4me]

Ping

[Fitzcarraldo]

Looks like money is passing through too many hands before reaching the vender.

[FreedomCalls]

The purpose of the International Space Station is to keep the Russian rocket scientists gainfully employed. Would you rather they be working for the Ayatollahs in Iran building nuclear capable ICBMs for them? Any money spent to keep those scientists working peacefully for the Russians rather than the Iranians or North Koreans is money well spent.

[Prodigal Son]

as the major creditor of the obviously bankrupt operation I suggest that the American taxpayer take it over an run it right

We're having problems running our own space program...

[Phsstpok]

We're having problems running our own space program...

did I say that NASA should take it over? Noooooooooo....

turn it over to Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven and the US Space Advisory Committee. I have a feeling that they'd pick some folks who could not only make a go of it but make the Russians like it at the same time (enlightened self interest rules!).

[RusIvan]

The Russians, of course, are in charge of the "International" Space Station.+++

Russians are not in charge of ISS. FYI the commander of station always american austranaut. Russian maybe his deputy:).

[snopercod]

the commander of station always american austranaut. No, they alternate. Right now, the commander is an American, but the next time a Russian will be in charge. Here is an old article from 2001:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- An American astronaut formally relinquished command of the International Space Station Thursday as he and his crewmates headed into the home stretch of a four-month research tour aboard the outpost.

In a brief ceremony, retired U.S. Navy captain Frank Culbertson handed over the station helm and the ship's log to Russian cosmonaut Yuri Onufrienko, who will live and work aboard the outpost with U.S. flight engineers Daniel Bursch and Carl Walz until mid-May.