Russia sets sights on a new spaceship
Source: Agencies |
October 29, 2009, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
RUSSIA'S space agency is planning to build a new spaceship with a nuclear engine, its chief said yesterday.
Anatoly Perminov told a government meeting that the preliminary design could be ready by 2012. He said it will then take nine more years and 17 billion rubles (US$600 million) to build the ship.
"The implementation of this project will allow us to reach a new technological level surpassing foreign developments," Perminov told a meeting which focused on communications and space technologies.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged the Cabinet to consider providing the necessary funding.
"It's a very serious project," Medvedev said. "We need to find the money."
Perminov's ambitious statement contrasted with the state of the Russian space program, and sounded more like a plea for extra government funds than a detailed proposal.
Russia is using 40-year-old Soyuz booster rockets and capsules to send crews to the International Space Station. Development of a replacement rocket and a prospective spaceship with a conventional propellant has dragged.
Perminov described the proposed spaceship as a "unique breakthrough project," but offered few details.
He said that the ship will have a megawatt-class nuclear reactor, as opposed to small nuclear reactors that powered Soviet satellites.
The Cold-War era Soviet spy satellites had reactors which produced just a few kilowatts of power and had a lifespan of just about a year.
Anatoly Perminov told a government meeting that the preliminary design could be ready by 2012. He said it will then take nine more years and 17 billion rubles (US$600 million) to build the ship.
"The implementation of this project will allow us to reach a new technological level surpassing foreign developments," Perminov told a meeting which focused on communications and space technologies.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged the Cabinet to consider providing the necessary funding.
"It's a very serious project," Medvedev said. "We need to find the money."
Perminov's ambitious statement contrasted with the state of the Russian space program, and sounded more like a plea for extra government funds than a detailed proposal.
Russia is using 40-year-old Soyuz booster rockets and capsules to send crews to the International Space Station. Development of a replacement rocket and a prospective spaceship with a conventional propellant has dragged.
Perminov described the proposed spaceship as a "unique breakthrough project," but offered few details.
He said that the ship will have a megawatt-class nuclear reactor, as opposed to small nuclear reactors that powered Soviet satellites.
The Cold-War era Soviet spy satellites had reactors which produced just a few kilowatts of power and had a lifespan of just about a year.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
