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Previous chapter: PPTS/PTK-NP development during 2009
New Russian spacecraft might fly from Baikonur Published: 2010 Jan. 26
RKK Energia, Russia's chief manufacturer of the manned spacecraft, reiterated on January 26, 2010, that the first unmanned launch of the new-generation spacecraft intended to replace Soyuz would take place in 2015. Speaking at the 34th Korolev Readings in prestigious Bauman Technical University in Moscow, the head of the company Vitaly Lopota said that the new vehicle would likely make its maiden voyage into space from the yet-to-be-built Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur region of Russia, however if the facility would not be ready, the mission would originate from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Lopota did not elaborate, when RKK Energia would have to make a commitment to one launch facility or another and which launch vehicle would be used for possible missions from Baikonur. The Rus-M rocket, whose development officially started in 2009, was specifically designed to support the new manned space program and it was to be based exclusively in Vostochny, but not in Baikonur. Therefore, even for temporary missions from the Kazakh launch site, yet another newly developed vehicle or an existing rocket would have to be adapted to carry the new-generation spacecraft, known as PTK NP, into orbit. The Ukrainian-built Zenit launcher or a similar Russian-built vehicle would be a likely candidate, as it has the payload capacity of up to 13 tons, needed to lift the future spacecraft and the Zenit has an operational launch pad in Baikonur. The Soyuz rockets, which currently launch seven-ton Russian manned spacecraft from Baikonur, are not powerful enough to carry future ships. Although the 2015 launch date for the PTK NP, was announced back in 2007, Lopota's statement was the first to disclose the possibility of using Baikonur, as a launch site for the new-generation spacecraft. Previously, Russian prime-minister Vladimir Putin, admitted that the construction of a brand-new launch facility in Vostochny in Russia's remote far-eastern region was more difficult than originally expected. Unofficial reports also said that the completion of the launch center by 2015 was impossible due to lack of funds. The Russian government has planned the development of a launch site for the manned space program on the Russian territory ever since the disintegration of the Soviet Union left Baikonur in the newly independent republic of Kazakhstan. Previously, Russian industry sources cited the possibility of adapting the veteran Soyuz spacecraft for possible lunar missions, in case current efforts to develop PTK NP stall. A three-seat Soyuz first flew in 1966 and was originally intended to beat US Apollo missions to the Moon. In the past several years, Russian space officials have promised to prepare for possible manned lunar missions within a timeframe of the NASA effort to return to the Moon around 2020. Building a nuclear-powered spacecraft In addition to ambitious plans to develop the new-generation spacecraft, Lopota added his voice in support of an aggressive Solar System exploration program in Russia with the use of nuclear-powered spacecraft. Echoing a number of Russian space officials before him, the head of RKK Energia promised the development of a powerful space-based nuclear power source in the next 10-15 years. According to Lopota, the nuclear energy would provide electricity to large communications platforms, Earth-watching radar and optical satellites and even early-warning network of spacecraft designed to protect the Earth from dangerous asteroids. However, the ultimate goal of the nuclear power sources in space would be to support the most ambitious goals of deep-space exploration, such as missions to the Moon and planets of the Solar System. Lopota cited a possible use of nuclear energy to power a permanent human base on the Moon. Last November, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in a televised address to the Federal Council, endorsed the development of a space-based nuclear power system as a high-priority national goal. Completion of preliminary design On May 27, 2010, RKK Energia's scientific-technical council, NTS, conducted a five-hour meeting, which reviewed and approved results of the preliminary design work in the PTK NP project. The meeting was accompanied by an exhibit in the NTS meeting hall, demonstrating technical, production and testing foundation of the project, RKK Energia elaborated on June 2, 2010. However the announcements only featured photos of key space officials, including the company president Vitaly Lopota, deputy designer general Zelenshikov and the chief of manned space flight directorate at Roskosmos Krasnov. No visuals of proposed hardware or technical details on the spacecraft and its launch vehicle variants, which had reportedly been presented at the meeting, were released. The completed preliminary design involved the issue of technical documentation, as well as a series of experimental and reseach efforts, including studies of the reentry thermodynamics of the crew module, manufacturing of mockups, scaled models and development of prototypes of some components. Among them were:
According to the announcement, NTS made a decision "to deliver technical documentation of the project to overseeing bodies of Roskosmos for the expertise and determination of further direction of work in the development of the prospective manned transport system. On July 19, 2010, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin pledged a renewed support of the Russian government for the funding of the new space center. During his visit to RKK Energia, the nation's key manned spacecraft development center, Putin promised 24.7 billion rubles over the next three years for the construction of the Vostochny (Eastern) launch site in the Russian Far East. The future space port was conceived primarily for the manned space missions and was intended to end Russia's dependency on the launch facilities in Baikonur in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan. Key officials at RKK Energia missed the opening of the air show in Farnborough, UK, on July 19, 2010, in order to meet Putin at the company's facilities in Korolev. Ironically, RKK Energia's display in Farnborough centered around a proposed launch vehicle, which would enable Russia to fly next-generation manned spacecraft from Baikonur instead of Vostochny. The plan was drafted in response to a wide-spread belief within the industry that the construction of the Vostochny launch site would not be completed on schedule due to limited funding. Putin's remarks during the visit to Korolev were clearly designed to address these concerns. The reliance on the new center could delay the introduction of the new manned transport system years behind schedule, sources within Russian space industry said. As of July 2010, a crucial meeting of the Scientific and Technical Council at Roskosmos was expected to finalize the review of the PTK NP preliminary design in early August 2010 and formally request RKK Energia to implement required changes. The company would then have around a year to deliver a revised project, before entering the next phase of development, known as technical design.
APPENDIX PPTS/PTK NP project chronology: 2009 Feb. 14-16: The Federal space agency, Roskosmos, accepts proposals from the industry for the development of the PPTS launch vehicle. 2009 March 16: Roskosmos representatives unseal proposals for the development of the PPTS launch vehicle. 2009 March 19: Roskosmos formally names TsSKB Progress a winner of the tender for the development of the launch vehicle for the next-generation spacecraft. 2009 March 30: Roskosmos officials unseal envelopes with proposals for the development of the PPTS system by RKK Energia and Khrunichev enterprise. 2009 April 6: RKK Energia is awarded a contract to develop the preliminary design of the PPTS system by June 2010. 2009 April 10: Roskosmos signs a contract with TsSKB Progress for the preliminary design phase, EP, of the development of the launch vehicle complex, RKK, for the Vostochny cosmodrome. 2009 August 18: RKK Energia demonstrates the first scale model of the PTK NP (PPTS) spacecraft at Moscow Air and Space Show, MAKS. 2009 Oct. 2: RKK Energia and Boeing company sign a memorandum of intent in Moscow for joint development of the common docking mechanism based on the APAS system for the next-generation spacecraft. 2010 May 27: RKK Energia conducts a meeting of scientific-technical council, NTS, reviewing the results of the preliminary design of the PTN NP project. 2010 July 19: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin pledged a renewed support of the Russian government for the funding of the new space center. Upcoming milestones in the PTK-NP project: 2010 June: A preliminary design of the PTK NP spacecraft to be completed. 2010 September: A preliminary design of the Rus-M launch vehicle for the PPTS spacecraft to be completed. 2015: The Rus-M launch vehicle to fly its first unmanned test mission from Vostochny, carrying a cargo version of the PTK NP spacecraft. 2018: The first manned launch of the PPTS spacecraft from Vostochny. (In 2009, the 2017 launch date was also quoted.)
Written and illustrated by Anatoly Zak; last update: July 30, 2010 All rights reserved |
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Animation of the PTK NP spacecraft lifting off onboard the Zenit-derived launch vehicle:
As the second stage of the Zenit launch vehicle shuts down, the PTK NP spacecraft enters low Earth orbit. Moments later the rocket would separate leaving the spacecraft in the free flight. Click to enlarge. Copyright © 2008 Anatoly Zak
A possible configuration of the PTK NP spacecraft with an additional habitation module based on the Docking Compartment of the International Space Station. The head of the Russian space agency first mentioned such option in April 2010. Click to enlarge. Copyright © 2010 Anatoly Zak
On July 19, 2010, RKK Energia unveiled a new rocket closely resembling existing Zenit booster at Farnborough air show. Click to enlarge. Copyright © 2010 Anatoly Zak
By the time the first mockup of the PTK NP interior was unveiled in July 2010, it was no longer reflecting the contemporary state of the project. Click to enlarge. Copyright © 2010 Anatoly Zak
By the time the first mockup of the PTK NP interior was unveiled in July 2010, it was no longer reflecting the contemporary state of the project. Click to enlarge. Copyright © 2010 Anatoly Zak
The payload section of the launch vehicle with the PTK NP spacecraft and its emergency escape rocket, SAS. Copyright © 2010 Anatoly Zak
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