Posted on 08/31/2007 3:09:55 PM PDT by blam
Russia enters 'space race' to build moon base
By Graeme Baker
Last Updated: 5:57pm BST 31/08/2007
Russia has revived another Cold War rivalry by entering a new “space race” with America to build a permanent base on the Moon.
The moon from Moscow's Novodevichy Monastery
Anatoly Perminov, the head of the space agency Roskosmos, said Russia would organise a manned lunar mission by 2025 and would be ready to build an “inhabited station” between 2027 and 2032.
From there, cosmonauts could strike out on a long-planned mission to Mars as early as 2035. “According to our estimates we will be ready for a manned flight to the Moon in 2025,” said Mr Perminov, adding that Mars remained a long-term ambition for Russia.
Mr Perminov also said that Roskmosmos intended to complete its section of the International Space Station by 2015 so that the ISS “becomes a fully-fledged space research centre”, while “major modernisation” of its Soyuz spacecraft would also be completed.
President George W. Bush in 2004 outlined plans for America, which landed the first men on the moon in 1968, to return by 2020 and use the mission as a stepping stone to Mars.
A new spacecraft design and manned lunar base modules formed part of the plan.
Launching a Mars mission from the Moon would remove the biggest cost factor of space travel – breaking out of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Russia’s announcement comes as it attempts to revive Cold War prestige on the back of a buoyant economy fueled by booming energy prices.
Among its aims is to secure its claim to Arctic territory - and the natural resources found beneath the sea bed.
This month, President Vladimir Putin revived Russian daily long-range bomber patrols near Nato airspace, in part to respond to American plans to build a missile defence shield in the former Soviet territories of the Czech Republic and Poland.
Mr Putin had previously said that Russia could once again point nuclear missiles at European cities to counter the shield’s strategic threat, and “suspended” its adherence to a treaty limiting the deployment of military forces on European soil.
Russia is already organising a simulated manned mission to Mars, by placing six volunteers in a sealed capsule on Earth for up to two years to study the effects.
The European Space Agency has expressed an interest in contributing to the project, including research and financial support.
However, Mr Perminov admitted that many difficulties linked to the a real Mars expedition remained unresolved, not least designing and building appropriate equipment.
“Current spacecraft do not provide the protection needed for the crew to survive and return to Earth,” he said.
Those Russians sure are feeling insecure these days.
But we planted our flag there first...(in reference to their lame claim of the north pole area by dropping a flag from a sub under the ice)
We need to saddle up.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
As long as they don’t mess with Saturn. I’ve got dibs on that first.
We are and will continue to lead.
Just leave Europa alone.
Hey Russia - You have to get people there first.
We should have built and occupied a small lunar base and research station years ago.
They are staking their claim to the moon because they want to corner the market on He3.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium-3#Extraterrestrial_supplies
Well I hope their “Moon Lander” has a better design than their Submarines.
So, what are they going to do? Stack up the rusting remains of their past failures in bids for glory and then climb to the moon?
... even as we make these posts, a Russian sub is silently
headed towards the moon, assisted by a Russian asteroid
breaker. The plan, as we’ve learned, is to deposit a small
Russian flag on the surface of the moon....
Someone will beat us at our own game. We have no motivation at this point to do anything about outer space. The richest tycoons such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and others are not interested investing in private outer space travel.
The US should embrace competition and new technologies. Both will keep us at the top of our game.
Sputnik was a good wake-up call
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