Russian Space Program: News & Discussion #2

Personnel replacements in orbit

Dmitry Rogozin started reorganizing the Roskosmos

Yesterday, it became known about the dismissal of Rano Juraeva, who for the past three years was the head of one of the largest enterprises of Roskosmos, the Center for the Operation of Ground and Space Infrastructure (CENSCI). Her dismissal occurred against the backdrop of personnel reshuffles that began in the state corporation after it was headed by Dmitry Rogozin. According to Kommersant's information, Andrei Okhlopkov will be the new head of the Center for Economic and Social Policy, who left there earlier because of the conflict with Mrs. Juraeva.

On the dismissal of Ms. Juraeva "in connection with the transition to a new job" yesterday, the press service of TsENKI said, stressing that. about. the general director was her deputy for the operation of ground-based space infrastructure Oleg Maydanovich. Ms. Juraeva noted that during the years of her work in the center, structural reforms were carried out, staff members were rejuvenated and expenses optimized. In addition, the center provided all 46 planned launches, the Vostochny launch site began functioning, and modernization began at the Baikonur cosmodrome.

ZENKI is an enterprise of Roskosmos, established in 1994. The center serves the cosmodromes Baikonur and Vostochny, provides assistance to the Defense Ministry in the operation of the Plesetsk cosmodrome, and European partners in the exploitation of the Kuru cosmodrome. Early Juraeva headed it at the suggestion of the previous Roskosmos general director Igor Komarov in 2016. At the same time, according to the source of Kommersant in the government apparatus, even then, some members of the board of the military-industrial complex (then led by Dmitry Rogozin) doubted the candidacy of Mrs. Juraeva. Including due to a lack of experience in the space industry, although previously she worked in the related industry (before CENSCI - president of the Innovation Center for Civil Aviation). But Mr. Komarov lobbied for her appointment under personal responsibility. Several industry sources "Kommersant"


According to Kommersant's information, they will soon become the former deputy of Ms Juraeva, and for the time being the deputy chief designer of the Khrunichev Center, Andrei Okhlopkov. He is familiar with Dmitry Rogozin on the construction of the first stage of the East. At the post of the technical director of the cosmodrome he was responsible for the supply and installation of technological equipment. It was Mr. Rogozin who asked for information on the progress of the construction, using it for reports to the first persons of the state, and Mr. Okhlopkov himself jokingly called his "cosmic Susanin". As previously reported to Kommersant, he left the TsENKI because of disagreements with Rano Juraeva about the ways to complete the construction of facilities and complexes of the cosmodrome, as well as working with subcontractors. The candidacy of Mr. Okhlopkov appeared not only because of his acquaintance with Mr. Rogozin: according to Kommersant's information, at the Khrunichev Center he made proposals to facilitate carrier rockets of the Angara type, the launching table for which would begin to be built in July by the Kazan company (Tatarstan). Taking into account his experience at the first stage of the cosmodrome, he is the optimal candidate, Kommersant source asserts in the management of the state corporation.

It should be noted that the update of the Roskosmos management has moved to a practical level. According to Kommersant's information, yesterday, the first deputy general director of the state corporation, Alexander Ivanov, wrote a resignation letter of his own freeing the post under the ex-head of Energia corporation and Gazprom Space Systems company Nikolai Sevastyanov (the corresponding order will be signed by Mr. Rogozin in the near future ). However, from "Roskosmos" Mr. Ivanov will not leave: according to Kommersant's information, he will become chairman of state commissions for manned program and launch vehicles.

Russian Reusable Space Rocket Tests Scheduled for 2022


MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Tests of the first Russian reusable space rocket are scheduled for 2022, project team leader of Moscow-based Foundation for Advanced Research Projects (FPI) Boris Satovsky told Sputnik.
“The flight tests … are scheduled for 2022,” Satovsky said noting that the avant-project had already been completed by the FPI, Roscosmos state space corporation and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).

According to Satovsky, the rocket will be capable of carrying up to 600 kilograms (over 1,300 pounds) of payload.

Recently, space industry sources told Sputnik that Russia might create a new rocket production holding on the basis of the Roscosmos state corporation. The corporation itself, however, hasn't commented on the issue.
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201806041065060913-russian-rocket-tests-shedule/

In the US, they talked about the "toxicity" of Rogozin

The US-Russian space partnership belongs to one of the formal issues, not personal ones, but the former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin , having assumed the post of head of Roskosmos , is "potentially toxic" for formal cooperation, American journalist Matthew Bodner writes in SpaceNews.

The author notes that the cooperation of Roskosmos with Western partners, primarily NASA and ESA ( European Space Agency ) may be hindered by sanctions that prohibit the incumbent head of the state corporation from visiting the EU and the US. "The problem of sanctions will make it impossible to hold meetings at the highest level, although it is possible that at a lower level co-operation will continue," - said a former employee of the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the United Nations Theresa Hitchens.

Another reason that may complicate the cooperation of Roskosmos and NASA is the harsh rhetoric of the former vice-premier who suggested, in particular, to fly through Romania to the Tu-160 and the famous phrase "tanks do not needed visas."      

SpaceNews notes that since December 2011, when Rogozin took up the post of deputy prime minister in charge of the defense-industrial complex and the rocket and space industry, "rockets continued to fall and reform efforts showed modest results." At the same time, at the second stage of the reform in the formation of the Roskosmos state corporation (in the period 2015-2018), "the situation has not improved," and the Russian space budget has been sequestered. "It's just not clear how to finance ambitious projects," Bodner writes.

The author, analyzing the reasons for which Rogozin received a new position, found it difficult to assess it as an increase or decrease from the position of vice-premier. "On the one hand, his appointment to Roskosmos is a consolation prize. On the other hand, his role in the cabinet was advisory, not executive. He can have more power over reforms than before, "writes Bodner, whom Rogozin himself accused of rudeness.

The author notes that later the official can become the head of the rocket and space holding uniting Roskosmos, Almaz-Antei and RTI Systems (Radio and Information Systems), as well as the KTRV ( Tactical Missile Arms Corporation ) , therefore the appointment to the post of the head of the state corporation can be "completely conditioned by short-term internal considerations".



"Roskosmos" is dying. New billions and other victims are needed
According to Hitchens, the merger of Roskosmos with Almaz-Anteem, which is under sanctions, "not only legally but also politically" will change the current situation. "I do not know how NASA will be able to get around this," the expert said.

The answer to this question was found by Jeff Ratk from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (USA). In his opinion, Washington will make an exception for NASA, which is not yet covered by the US law "On confrontation with America's opponents through sanctions." "It can soften the blow, even if it limits contacts with Rogozin," Ratk said.

In June, Rogozin met with NASA Deputy Administrator William Gerstenmeier and US Ambassador to Russia John Huntsman at the Baikonur Cosmodrome . The parties "expressed hope for the improvement of Russian-American relations" and "agreed that it is necessary to avoid administrative pressure and political obstacles in the study of outer space."

As the head of Roskosmos Rogozin replaced Igor Komarov . Permutations were made in May after the approval of the new government, in which Rogozin, who served in the previous Cabinet of Ministers as vice prime minister, did not get involved.

The appearance of a promising reusable rocket and space system

Within the framework of the joint project of the Foundation for Advanced Studies (FPI), Roskosmos Corporation and the United Aircraft Corporation, the pre-design of the returned missile unit of the reusable ultra-light missile system has been completed. The system is designed to output a payload of up to 600 kilograms to the sun-synchronous orbit.

During the design, the technological back-up of the project of the Baikal reusable accelerator was used. The scheme of the system provides for the separation of the first stage of the launch vehicle at an altitude of 59-66 kilometers and its return to the launch area with landing on the usual runway. In the basic design of the returned block, a rotational rectangular wing of a large span and a classical tail unit will be applied. When returning flight to the place of start, a modified serial turbojet engine is used.

According to Boris Satovsky, the head of the FPI project group, a large amount of information and the accumulated scientific and technical backlog on the returned stages were analyzed within the framework of the pre-project. A comparison of several alternative aerodynamic layouts has been made and calculations of gas dynamics and heat transfer of the product on a return trajectory have been made. Engineering and design studies showed sufficient technological readiness to create a demonstrator.

According to preliminary calculations, the cost of the payload output by the reusable system will be 1.5-2 times lower than that of conventional missiles of this class. Each controllable unit is designed for 50 flights without replacing marching engines operating on cryogenic fuel "liquid oxygen-liquefied methane". The launch is expected to be carried out from mobile launchers.

Flight tests of the system demonstrator are scheduled for 2022.

Press-service of FPI

GunshipDemocracy wrote:American press dissatisfied about "toxic Rogozin" . Whoa NOW I am sure not that he is the right man on the right place


https://lenta.ru/news/2018/06/08/iss

In the US, they talked about the "toxicity" of Rogozin

.....

PapaDragon wrote:

GunshipDemocracy wrote:American press dissatisfied about  "toxic Rogozin" . Whoa NOW I am sure not that he is the right man on the right place  
On one hand I am not a big fan of Trampoline Man but on the other hand I couldn't give fewer fucks about feelings of some US journalists dipshit being hurt

If they don't like it they can pack their shit and leave, Lord know Russia will have more efficient space budget spending once they stop wasting time and money on that ISS dead end

But pindos dont  like trampoline stuff for some strange reason As for  Rogozin  I think the idea behind appointing  him is: cut  local mafia structure, he is Putin's dude and besides ensuring budget is spent wisely (Kudrin here will be watchdog I am sure no mercy fo his liberal and effective menagers pals) .

And last but not least -he is kinda showman. And this is exactly what Roscosmos needs. Trapoline man

Hole wrote:Baikal has a small engine to bring it back to the space port. Ramjet would be over the top. The method is much better than that of SpaceShit.

kvs wrote:One of the reasons Rogozin was appointed was to stick US sanctions down the US throat.    The US relies on Roscosmos.
It will be painful for them to comply with the political theater imposed by the clowns in Washington.
This is very, very good.  

LMFS wrote:How is this Baikal thing supposed to take off? Launched from heavy transport or Tu-160 maybe??

...........

PapaDragon wrote:

LMFS wrote:How is this Baikal thing supposed to take off? Launched from heavy transport or Tu-160 maybe??

...........

Standard rocket launch, return to runway is with wings.

Soyuz-5 will have standard hardpoints for connecting multiple rocket cores so developing wings and landing gear add-ons that could fit on those should be simple enough if concept proves feasible.

Easier (and less stupid) than designing new reusable rocket from scratch.

I still think that parachutes are far superior approach but whatever....

LMFS wrote:..........

I guess putting wings and landing gear in the Soyuz and using it like the Baikal would be structurally very complicated, one is intended as vertical launch rocket and the other will need to re-enter, fly and land horizontally with IMO completely different load directions.....

LMFS wrote:....You mean parachutes to splash down on the sea right?

LMFS wrote:How is this Baikal thing supposed to take off? Launched from heavy transport or Tu-160 maybe??

@GunshipDemocracy
Apparently uses methane and not hydrogen as fuel, so the helium trick would not work. But nevertheless some ram air cooling may be theoretically possible, this in the end looks to have many points in common with that British project you mentioned some time ago.

PapaDragon wrote:

LMFS wrote:..........

I guess putting wings and landing gear in the Soyuz and using it like the Baikal would be structurally very complicated, one is intended as vertical launch rocket and the other will need to re-enter, fly and land horizontally with IMO completely different load directions.....

First stages separate at nearly same altitude and angle, Converting Soyuz-5 into reusable rocket by adding Baikal-style wings and gear should be doable.

LMFS wrote:....You mean parachutes to splash down on the sea right?

No, I mean huge parachute for landing and some type of landing gear or airbags to put it on the ground softly in horizontal position.
Simplicity is preferable to flashiness.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
vertically as a booster check the vid/infographics No this wont be ramjet AFAIK but I didnt see official news yet. SO far only about turbojet

https://cache-igi.cdnvideo.ru/igi/video/2018/5/22/графика%20ангара%20с%20наговором.mp4

GunshipDemocracy wrote:

PapaDragon wrote:
No, I mean huge parachute for landing and some type of landing gear or airbags to put it on the ground softly in horizontal position.
Simplicity is preferable to flashiness.

what is cheaper? the whole expedition to reclaim danged stuff, stuff repair right? and howm many days it shall be repaired?
Baikal AFAIK is jettisoned on 50-60km. No heat shields needed. Flies back as a drone and automatically lands on Vostochny.  Can be refilled and reused the next day. And this is what you call expensive?!

GunshipDemocracy wrote:

LMFS wrote:....You mean parachutes to splash down on the sea right?

No, I mean huge parachute for landing and some type of landing gear or airbags to put it on the ground softly in horizontal position.
Simplicity is preferable to flashiness.

what is cheaper? the whole expedition to reclaim danged stuff, stuff repair right? and howm many days it shall be repaired?
Baikal AFAIK is jettisoned on 50-60km. No heat shields needed. Flies back as a drone and automatically lands on Vostochny.  Can be refilled and reused the next day. And this is what you call expensive?!

PapaDragon wrote:
I meant compared to SpaceX
Everyone is edgy lately...

LMFS wrote:Wow, that is VERY cool. Good to see the Russians can do good CGIs too

So this is apparently a definitive version of Baikal. The original apparently used a RD33 engine to land, interestingly it was placed apparently in the top of the nose with its thrust pointing front and downwards, why would that be? Aerodynamic stability problems due to the design?

But don't loose the faith Gunship, we will see the cooled ramjet version of this sh*t someday!

BTW good link about the Baikal:

1) What does it mean that it can place 600 kg in Sun-synchronic orbit, how does it translate into other altitude-related orbits like LEO, GEO etc.?

2) Why is this new superlight reusable system meant to be used from mobile launchers??? Does it have "secondary" applications maybe?  

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
Nose ?This hole is inlet for turbojet (RD 35 afaik). Mind then Baikal is like 17 yo project...just restarted.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
Yup, but this shit is better for one-stage hence-and forth shit. Like Korona.

more here:

https://www.popmech.ru/technologies/363532-russkiy-kosmos-proekt-korona-i-drugie-razrabotki-grc-makeeva/
Ria or Iz or Interfax too. Not sure if thsi will be done now - depending on money...

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwmLbELEnGg -> this is  vid about BMP-3M not sure what is has to do with space

What abut this? also not about space but soundtrack rocks      

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
a) SSO  -  you mean lik ethet?      
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun-synchronous_orbit

2) Sea-Launch?!

LMFS wrote:
I mean this {}
I assume the engine nozzle goes where the arrow is pointing. Maybe the landing approach AoA is very high so the engine pushes horizontally instead of pushing to the ground

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
Yup, but this shit is better for one-stage hence-and forth shit. Like Korona.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
What abut this? also not about space but soundtrack rocks      

Hahaha, that was surreal! Should be official soundtrack for Victory Day parade though

On minute 4:00 of that video there is a very cool rocket-assisted parachute that lands tanks relatively soft, I found that a good example of a simple system that could achieve what he said.

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
I wanted to understand how 600 kg to SSO would translate to LEO, GEO etc. SSO is not altitude defined apparently but payload capability of a launcher is, at least AFAIK

Riding the terminator is useful for active radar satellites, as the satellites' solar panels can always see the Sun, without being shadowed by the Earth. It is also useful for some satellites with passive instruments that need to limit the Sun's influence on the measurements, as it is possible to always point the instruments towards the night side of the Earth. The dawn/dusk orbit has been used for solar-observing scientific satellites such as Yohkoh, TRACE, Hinode and PROBA2, affording them a nearly continuous view of the Sun.

Sea launch? Well that does not sound like a secret weapon but maybe you are right Sorry for the ignorance, that should ease reaching different types of orbits or something?

Hole wrote:Baikal models:

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
after wiki for sn-synchronous-orbit:

Riding the terminator is useful for active radar satellites, as the satellites' solar panels can always see the Sun, without being shadowed by the Earth. It is also useful for some satellites with passive instruments that need to limit the Sun's influence on the measurements, as it is possible to always point the instruments towards the night side of the Earth. The dawn/dusk orbit has been used for solar-observing scientific satellites such as Yohkoh, TRACE, Hinode and PROBA2, affording them a nearly continuous view of the Sun.

They all were on 500-800 km

GunshipDemocracy wrote:
I didnt see any of vid you wanted to show? what secret weapon?! can you provide a source for this? unless it was aout BMP-3M so hard to tell anything.