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Proposed Russian spacecraft to have a modern convenience -- a toilet
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A Russian spaceship for trips beyond Earth orbit will have at least one crucial advantage over a U.S. rival -- a toilet -- one of the craft's developers says.
"I don't think I need to elaborate on how a waste-collection system is much more comfortable than the diapers that astronauts aboard the [U.S. spacecraft] Orion will have to use," Vladimir Pirozhkov of the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys told RIA Novosti.
The institute is involved in the development of the Russian ship intended for voyages to the International Space Station and to the moon.
"Besides, the Russian segment of the International Space Station has a limited number of toilets, which means a spacecraft with an extra 'space toilet' will come in handy," he said Friday.
A prototype of the proposed Russian spaceship was unveiled last week at an airshow in Moscow.
The first unmanned test launch of the new spacecraft is scheduled for late 2017 or 2018, Pirozhkov said, and a manned flight is expected by 2020.
The Orion spacecraft, being developed by NASA and the European Space Agency to take as many as four people on missions to the ISS, Mars or near-Earth asteroids, is set for an unmanned test flight in 2014 and manned flights after 2020.
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(Energia PR) — In Zhukovsky, Moscow region, the 10th International Aerospace Show (MAKS-2011), which was held on August 16 through 21, has completed its work.
The Corporation’s stand, which was a part of the joint exhibit of the Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos), was a continuous focus of attention for a great number of visitors, among whom there were specialists from aviation and space companies of Russia and other countries, scientists, representatives of business circles, university students and teachers, veterans of the industry, journalists, aerospace aficionados.
On August 17, the Roscosmos pavilion and its section prepared by RSC Enenrgia was visited by the Russian Federation Prime Minister V.V. Putin.
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MAKS 2013: PTK-Mock-Up
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In the year when the 50th anniversary of the first manned mission into space is celebrated, a particular interest was aroused by the historical section of the Corporation’s stand: full-scale mockup of the Vostok spacecraft descent vehicle developed at Special Design Bureau 1 (now RSC Energia) under direction of Chief Designer S.P. Korolev. It was in the spacecraft of this series that the missions of the first cosmonauts (Yuri Gagarin, German Titov, Valentina Tereshkova and others) were carried out.
Attention was also drawn to the descent vehicle of Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft, that had operated as a part of the International Space Station, the Russian Segment of which was developed and is operated by the Corporation.
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MAKS 2013: PTK mit Space-Station
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The company’s advanced developments presented at the exhibition – a conceptual model of the reentry vehicle of the new-generation manned transportation spacecraft, scale models of a commercial space station and a space system for lunar fly-by – also aroused keen interest.
Explanations to the visitors to the exhibit were given by managers, lead specialists and cosmonauts of the company.
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Within the framework of the program of activities at the International Aerospace Show MAKS-2011, RSC Energia and Skolkovo Foundation have signed an agreement to establish an International Space Center with the objective of developing advanced rocket and space technologies.
RSC Energia senior managers and leading specialists held a number of business meetings at the air show with senior managers and representatives of Russian and foreign companies and partner organizations. Discussed at these meetings were the issues involved in the current and future work on the development, operation and use of the rocket and space technology, and the ways of mutually beneficial cooperation were outlined. Agreements have been signed to develop cooperation between Russian and foreign companies and organizations.
Quelle: PA, Energia
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