Posted on 04/17/2008 7:59:36 AM PDT by RightWhale
Russia will need an additional $5 billion to finish the construction of its segment of the International Space Station (ISS) by 2015, the head of Russia's rocket and space corporation Energia said Friday. The ISS is a joint project of space agencies from the United States, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan. The orbital station is likely to remain operational until 2020.
"So far, we have allocated about $4.2 billion for the ISS project, but we will need an additional $5 billion to finish the construction [of the Russian segment] by 2015," Energia President Vitaly Lopota said at a conference dedicated to Cosmonautics Day, celebrated in Russia on April 12.
The first ISS element, the Russian Zarya module, was put into orbit in November 1998. Several modules have been attached to the structure since then, but ongoing construction has missed the initial deadline, largely due to delays in U.S. shuttle launches and a lack of financing.
The Russian segment of the orbital station should have 10 modules by 2015, the Energia official said. Russia is planning to launch two small research modules to the ISS in 2009-2010, a multi-purpose laboratory module - in 2011, and two energy modules - in 2014-2015. The ISS crew will comprise six members, including three Russian cosmonauts, starting from 2009, Lopota said. Source: RIA Novosti
Russia To Create Manned Assembly Complex In Orbit
Moscow (XNA) Apr 14, 2008
Russia is going to create a manned assembly complex in orbit, the chief of the Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) Anatoly Perminov said here on Saturday. "We shall create this complex in order to make dockings in orbit, build craft there and send them to the Moon, Mars and other planets," Perminov was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as telling a new briefing.
"This proposal was on the whole approved at the meeting of the Russian Security Council on Friday, but a specific time has not been determined," he said. Perminov also said it was clearly stated at the Security Council meeting that Russia would use the Baikonur cosmodrome until 2050 under an inter-governmental lease agreement.
The first rocket launch from the new Russian cosmodrome Vostochny (Eastern) that will be built in the Amur Region is planned for 2015.
The first launch of a piloted spacecraft from Vostochny is planned for 2018, he said.
The Roskosmos head explained that the new generation piloted spacecraft supposedly would weigh 18-22 tones, and it will be impossible to launch it with the available rockets. With all the modifications, the Soyuz can carry no more than 16-17 tones, so it will be impossible to use it for the purposes.
The new rocket Angara is viewed as the most promising launch vehicle to carry piloted spacecraft, but there is an engine problem. Russia has no engines so far for rockets to carry spacecraft not only to orbits around the earth, but also to other planets, Perminov said. Source: Xinhua News Agency
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Who will pay for Russia's ISS work so as to free up the cost of the Russian Mars assembly facility?
These might be entirely different syndicates so no funding transfer is possible.
The Russians should pay their own way on everything
They can use the money they would otherwise be spending on Topol missiles and advanced weapons systems.
Take the money out of Putin’s petty cash Swiss bank account...
They should have plently of money from Oil and Gas revenues - weren’t those in the range of 100 billion+ last year?
Perhaps the Russian mafia would like a piece of the action.
So who gave away the railroad, yet expects to ride to the stations? Look in the mirror -- it's US, eh?
9+$Billion????? You can almost build 2 Nimitz class super carriers for that?????? What are they making them out of, diamonds or gold?????
The Race to Mars is on, with the USA paying both teams.
Russia will be overbilling the US for the launch costs during the time between the shuttle shutdown in ‘10 and the time the new rockets come online four+ years later.
It will be more than a billion a year.
from a couple of weeks ago, a waste of money ping.
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