Space Tourism … and Much More
RIA Novosti has a very interesting article about the Kazakhstan government’s apparent intention to invest about $100 million in bankrupt Sea Launch.
The article quotes Talgat Musabayev, head of the Kazak space agency Kazkosmos, as saying the government wants to acquire shares in the rocket company, which is a joint venture of Boeing (US), RSC Energia (Russia), Kvaerner (Norway), and Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (Ukraine).
Continue reading ‘Kazakhstan Investing in Sea Launch?’
Malaysia has been gradually developing its space capabilities during the last few years. These efforts have included sending the first Malaysian in space, Sheikh Muszaphar, to ISS aboard a Russian Soyuz vehicle in 2007, and conducting microgravity crystal experiments:
Continue reading ‘Malaysia’s Space Efforts Beginning to Pay Off’
In an interview with Malaysia’s Daily Express, Dr Igor V. Sorokin of the S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia said that the Soviet Union was in the advanced states of planning a human Mars mission before the country collapsed:
Continue reading ‘Energia Official: Soviet Union Had Viable Human Mars Plan in Late 1980’s’
International Space Station
BOEING PRESS RELEASE
The Boeing Company and Russian aerospace company RSC-Energia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Moscow on Oct. 2 to work together on a future common docking system for advanced space exploration vehicles.
The two companies will complement each other’s extensive knowledge in International Space Station (ISS) design, assembly and operation to produce an international standard for docking mechanisms.
Continue reading ‘Boeing, Energia to Build Common Docking System’
ROSKOSMOS PRESS OFFICE
Rocket Space Corporation Energia continues development and design activities with two new Russian modules to be docked to the International Space Station – MRM-1 and MRM-2.
Continue reading ‘Energia Continues Work on Two Russian ISS Modules’
Russia mulls rocket power ‘first’
BBC News
Engineers are considering a rocket-powered landing system for the successor to Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft.
Continue reading ‘Russia Considers Rocket-Powered Landing for New Spacecraft’
RIA-Novosti reports:
Flight tests of Russia’s new cargo spacecraft will start in 2016-17, the general designer of the RSC Energia rocket manufacturer said on Monday.
Continue reading ‘Russia to Begin Flight Testing Soyuz Replacement in 2016′
Roskosmos signs contract for new rocket and space complex
ITAR-TASS
Russia’s Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) has signed a contract for the creation of a new rocket and space complex at the Vostochny spaceport.
Continue reading ‘Roskosmos Signs Pact for New Spaceport’
Space News has some additional details on Russia’s program to create a successor to the Soyuz transport:
The Russian Federal Space Agency, Roskosmos, awarded a pair of contracts totaling nearly 1.2 billion rubles ($37 million) to begin designing a next-generation spaceship and rocket capable of carrying cosmonauts to the Moon.
Continue reading ‘Contractors Chosen for Russia’s Soyuz Replacement’
PRESS RELEASE
Astrotech Corporation, (NASDAQ: SPAB – News), a leading provider of commercial space services, released today that the RSC Energia agreement in principle with the Company’s SPACEHAB Orbital Transportation, Inc. subsidiary, which was announced late last year, has now been formalized into a $1.8 million contract.
Russia’s largest manufacturer of aerospace and space equipment will utilize Astrotech’s Cape Canaveral, Florida payload processing facilities and receive support services from Astrotech to prepare its Mini Research Module (MRM1) for flight aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle during the STS-132 mission.
Continue reading ‘Astrotech to Support Energia on MRM1 Station Launch’
Blue Origin has received NASA funding for a crew launch abort system although it does not currently have an active permit for experimental flights.
Swedish Woman Books Trip to Space, Needs Sponsors
Four Swedish tourists have booked tickets to space aboard Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo. One of them needs sponsors to make the dream come true.