Russia to Conduct First Flight to Moon in 2011-2012
- From: "captain." <spammersmustdie@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 01 Sep 2006 10:14:15 GMT
Russia to Conduct First Flight to Moon in 2011-2012
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/08/31/moonmission.shtml
Russia plans to conduct its first manned flight around the Moon in
2011-2012, the president of a leading spacecraft company said Thursday, RIA
Novosti news agency reports.
"The Energia Rocket and Space Corporation plans to explore the Moon in three
stages: a Soyuz spacecraft flight to the Moon, the construction of a
permanent base on the Moon (from 2010 to 2025), and the industrial
exploration of space around the Moon," Nikolai Sevastyanov said at the 5th
Airspace Congress in Moscow.
He went on to say that the main goals of the lunar exploration would be to
conduct astrophysical research of its surface, to transfer environmentally
unfriendly industries from the Earth to the Moon, and to extract raw
materials, including helium-3, to meet the increasing energy demand on the
Earth.
Helium-3 is a rare metal on Earth, but is abundant on the Moon, and is used
in nuclear power reactors and is a conductor as well. It is also used in
microchip and related technologies.
For the flight, Russia is planning to use a modernized version of the Soyuz
manned spacecraft, the workforce of the Russian space fleet, Sevastyanov
said, adding that the first spacecraft would be ready in 2010.
The United States is the only country to have put astronauts on the Moon.
Neil Armstrong was the first in1969 and five other missions followed him
until the lunar program was wrapped up in 1972.
"Energia has started the development of a modernized Soyuz spacecraft,"
Sevastyanov said.
"New digital technologies will be used during the development and operation
of the new spacecraft. Besides, the new space vehicle will be able to
conduct flights not only to the International Space Station, but also to the
Moon."
Sevastyanov continued, saying the Russian Space Agency and the European
Space Agency had already expressed their support for the project and the
first modernized Soyuz would be launched in 2010.
The Energia president said the launches would be conducted both from the
Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan and the Kourou launch site in French
Guiana.
He added that the first flight to Mars would be conducted after 2025. The
expedition will use the Russian-made Clipper shuttle with a four-man crew
and will last two-and-a-half years.
.
- Prev by Date: Moscow Bans Beslan School Siege Memory Picket - Rights Activist
- Next by Date: Bubba's Old Crone and Bubba's New Blonde to run North America? What sez DK and Krapó?
- Previous by thread: Moscow Bans Beslan School Siege Memory Picket - Rights Activist
- Next by thread: Re: Russia to Conduct First Flight to Moon in 2011-2012
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
