The famous ISS – the international space station, maybe living its last years in its current form. As reported in an interview with RIA Novosti General Director of Rocket and space Corporation Energia Vladimir Solntsev, at present already put forward proposals for a new object, created in the framework of the project of the Russian orbital station. Deployment in outer space is scheduled for 2024, while, interestingly, the component parts of the new station can become some deverbative your resourcemodel ISS.
However, it is already known that the “veterans” of the station’s functional cargo block Zarya, service module Zvezda, most likely, will cease to exist: both by the time of the planned commissioning of the new station will celebrate the quarter-century anniversary of its work in orbit.
Will the ISS history, and whether it will be as sad as the once famous story of the “World” – this question is asked today as experts in the field of space, and just those who are interested in a space theme.
100 thousand of coils: normal flight
Manned orbital station used as a multipurpose space research complex: so positioned ISS among all 14 countries participating in the project. Recall that deal with this subject, the U.S., Russia, Japan, Canada and members of the European space Agency Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, France, Sweden and Switzerland. The start of the first module (it was already mentioned, the Russian “Zarya”) was held in 1998, although the program itself appeared much earlier – in 1984, becoming the idea of of Americans. However, it is our party breathed into the ISS life, investing in the project not only znachitelnaya and tools, but most importantly – the human resource.
Last year, the station made its anniversary – 100 th orbit around the Earth. Unique experiments conducted on her on Board to cover a variety of science – from physics to biology. Today ISS – это14 main modules, of which five Russian and seven American and one European, and Japanese.During the operation of the station on its Board visited 224 astronaut, and seven space tourists.
The future of the ISS, of course, of concern to many. Director General of State Corporation for space activities of Roscosmos Igor Komarov convinced of the need to continue the joint operation and cooperation in this regard with partners. “After the 2020-2021 years we will have the possibility of separating from the ISS some modules for the formation of the Russian national space station,” said ONV an interview with Russian media, adding: “although from the point of view of the economy and scientific research is just an option that it would be better to avoid”.
According to the head of the Roscosmos, the operation of the ISS in cooperation with other parties would like to reduce the costs of the station and to expand the range of conducted on-Board experiments. Moreover, according to Igor Komarova, this question has already been finalised, and agreement on joint use of equipment and sharing the results of experiments.
ISS as a “base jump”
Again to look seriously at the prospects for further use of the ISS offers a luminary of the national space science and practice and is first visited in space, pilot-cosmonaut, twice Hero of the Soviet Union major General Alexei Leonov. He drew attention to the following fact: today the study of the Universe requires a ship is a high demand for work in earth orbit, but needed to ensure future missions to the moon and to Mars.
In addition, according to Alexei Leonov, the ISS can serve as the basis for ekspluatatsionnika objects located at a distance from the orbital complex. “It will be something like a space hotel, – says Alexei Leonov, beside which at a distance of a short flight will be the production of, say, unique medicines, crystals or metals completely new qualities. There will be a short time to fly to pick up the products named something to fix.”
Alexei Leonov knows that the official period of the ISS is limited to 2024 year. However… “I think that the station will be” – says the famous astronaut, taking while the satellite is still at least two years – until 2026.
To the moon and back
Plans for the renovation of the ISS and the formation of a new Russian orbital station – not the only innovation in the domestic space programs. He is the head of RSC Energia Vladimir Solntsev said that there are already idea to present to the international market offering… commercial tours around the moon. The orbit in this case will be shown two units – one primary, the other the boost. After docking and at the expense of the momentum of one of the blocks will provide a passage around the Earth.
According to Vladimir Solntsev, RSC Energia, together with partners already working to determine the shape required for lunar launches of the carrier rocket of superheavy class and the launch complex for the launches. It is not excluded that speech can go about a series of multi-manned transport spacecraft”Federation”. It is designed to deliver people and cargo to earth-orbiting space station, as well as – attention – for operations in the polar and Equatorial orbit of the moon and landing on it.
It is known that the maximum crew of the new ship will be 6 (when flying to the moon – up to four), and the mass delivered to orbit cargo will fit into 500 kg. In the Autonomous flight mode, the ship can be up to 30 days, and when flying within the orbital station – up to 1 year. According to some reports, the end of manufacturing of the flight model of the “Federation”is scheduled for 2020, and the first flight to the moon and a flyby of the moon (although only in unmanned mode), it is planned in 2026.
according to the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin, despite the need for economy and strict prioritization in the space sector, the exploration of the moon, including the establishment there of a permanent scientific station, is an exciting challenge for the national space industry. “We need a technological breakthrough, it is necessary to create super-heavy rocket, the orbital module in lunar orbit, a reusable lander, – said Deputy Prime Minister. Is a serious problem that will be solved not so much because we need a lunar station, but because we need large technological capabilities in space.”
Author: Dmitry Sergeyev
Photo: RSC Energia / ROSCOSMOS