Site update log

Site map

Advertise

Testimonials

About this site

About the author

Mailbox

SUPPORT THIS SITE!

Searching for details:

The author of this page will appreciate comments, corrections and imagery related to the subject. Please contact Anatoly Zak.

Related pages:

Kliper project

Flight profile animations:

• A liftoff onboard the Zenit-derived launch: Flash Video | QuickTime
• Orbit insertion, the upper stage separation, solar panels, antennas deployment: Flash Video | QuickTime
• Attitude control operation, braking engine firing, modules separation: Flash Video | QuickTime

2005: Roots of the Russian-European cooperation in manned spaceflight

At the beginning of 2004, the US government announced its intention to withdraw from the International Space Station program and, instead to return American astronauts to the Moon... And it was going to do it alone. NASA's space station partners, Russia, Europe and Japan were left to decide for themselves where to go in space. Initially, Russians tried to convince Europeans to pull resources to develop a new generation reusable spacecraft, however in December 2005, European ministers told their agency to come up with a better plan.

2006: The ACTS concept

A new plan for the Russian-European cooperation in manned space program had been conceived around spring of 2006.This time, two sides considered combining funds, hardware and expertise to parallel the US effort to return astronauts to the Moon. The idea was based on previous studies, which looked at upgrading the European ATV cargo ship with a Russian-built reentry vehicle, which would enable it to return cargo or even people to Earth.

2007: Initial ACTS studies

Russian and European space officials were expected to choose what they identified as an "initial preferred concept" for a future manned spacecraft, as early as May or June of 2007. However, political problems inside Russia and between two partners delayed the project. Disagreements over the direction of the Russian space program resulted in the ouster of Nikolai Sevastyanov, the head of the nation's prime contractor in the manned spaceflight -- RKK Energia.

2008: Deciding spacecraft architecture

The Russian-European talks resumed in September 2007. Initially, Russian and European space officials chose a bell-shaped crew module as a preferred configuration for the next-generation manned spacecraft. Resembling Russian Soyuz spacecraft, the new vehicle will be larger and heavier than its predecessor in order to accommodate from four to six people on a journey to the lunar orbit. However by the beginning of 2008, a cone-shape capsule, resembling NASA's Apollo spacecraft, had emerged a winner.

European-only alternative

In case, Europe would fail to strike a deal with the Russians, ESA officials drafted a "going alone" plan. Capitalizing on the success of the ATV program, at the end of 2007, European developers revisited the old idea of replacing the ship’s cargo section with a retrievable crew module. At the ILA-2008 air and space show in Berlin, Europe's chief aerospace company EADS Astrium unveiled a full-scale mockup of a three-seat vehicle, designed to enter the Earth orbit and eventually support lunar missions.