Despite the many unfavorable factors, the relevant Russian authorities have actively developed a new space policy, which calls for the reform of the current system of the space industry, in an attempt to maintain the status of the world's leading space nation. Through the active efforts of all parties, Russia's space launch activities in 2005 continued to maintain the momentum of the world's leading momentum, the number of launches for the second consecutive year ranked first in the world. In the wake of several delays in the resumption of flights of the United States Space Shuttle, in 2005 the transportation of the International Space Station (ISS) was primarily the responsibility of the Russian Federation, which, in parallel with the development of the ISS, has focused on proposing spacecraft launches and improvements in the performance of satellites. The head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Pominov, received an exclusive interview with RIA Novosti, emphasizing that the new space program is a national economic strategy.
I. Space Launches
On December 27, 2005, the head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Mr. Pominov, stated that in 2005, Russia continued to be the world's number one in terms of the number of space launches (see the end of the article, "Appendix: Table of the World's Space Launches in 2005"), and that it conducted 24 launches***. For the second year in a row, Russia took first place in the world in terms of the number of space launches (see "Appendix: World Space Launches in 2005" at the end of this article). Among them, the Soyuz series of launch vehicles accounted for 18.9 per cent and the Proton series for 11.3 per cent. 12 launches by United States launch vehicles accounted for 22.6 per cent of the world's total number of space launches in 2005, while 5 launches by European spaceflight vehicles accounted for 9.4 per cent of the total number of launches. The total number of launches was 9.4%.
Commercial services create material wealth for Russia, with foreign contracts signed by the country's space companies totaling up to $700 million per year. In the Federal Space Program for 2006-2015, approved by the Russian government in July 2005, the development of the space transportation business is Russia's most competitive advantage. Russia will launch a wide range of satellites into orbit and increase its share of the global launch market.
In 2005, Russia*** had three launch failures:
On June 21, the Molniya-M rocket carrying the Russian Defense Ministry's Molniya-3K communications satellite crashed shortly after liftoff from Plesetsk. The rocket crashed shortly after liftoff from Plesetsk. The cause may have been the failure of the rocket's third-stage engine or the failure of the instruction to separate the third stage from the second stage. The analysis suggests that the main part of the rocket and the satellite burned up during re-entry into the dense atmosphere.
On October 8, the Russian Rokot rocket failed to separate the second stage during the launch of the ESA Cryosat satellite, and the satellite crashed. The cause may have been an error in the on-board flight control system's instructions, which caused the main engine to continue to run when it should have been shut down, thus using up all the fuel on the rocket. Russia subsequently suspended the launch of the Rokot rocket. ESA was forced to decide to rebuild the Cryosat satellite.
On October 27, the Mozhayets-5 satellite, the main payload of a one-rocket, eight-star Russian Cosmos-3M launch, failed to enter its designated orbit. The satellite was intended for optical tests, and space officials have lost contact with the satellite.
In addition to its commitment to launches, in 2005, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Russia will undertake a complete modernization of the site, which was the subject of a 2005 agreement between Russia and Kazakhstan to build a special launcher for the new Angara carrier rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome; "The Zenit launcher will also be overhauled to provide it with the ability to launch the Trimaran Express spacecraft, and the Gagarin launcher for the Soyuz-2 launcher will be modified. The Gagarin launcher for the Soyuz-2 carrier rocket will also be remodeled. Russia has also decided to continue leasing the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan until 2050, paying $115 million in annual rent*** for a total of $5.3 billion. The Baikonur launch site carries out the second largest number of space launches in the world each year.
Russia and Kazakhstan will also **** together build new launch sites. in 2005 Kazakhstan signed a bill approving an agreement to build the Baiterek Rocket Center in cooperation with Russia. The new Russian-Kazakh joint venture BAITEREK is responsible for the construction work and has appointed the famous cosmonaut Talgat Musabayev as its director. The new center will use Russian Angara rockets for launch missions, whose RD-191 engines use a liquid mixture of kerosene and oxygen, an environmentally friendly propellant, and can carry a 26-ton payload into low-Earth orbit and a 4.5-ton payload into geostationary orbit. The program is expected to be implemented in early 2009. Russia is also actively assisting Ukraine in defining its vision of cooperative space exploration for 2007-2011, and is planning to send Brazilian astronauts into space in 2006 and to help Brazil rebuild its launch sites.
ESA has become a major partner in Russia's space program for the new decade, and in 2005, Russia and France further strengthened their cooperation in the aerospace sector with the signing of a long-term cooperation agreement in January on the development, manufacture, and application of launch vehicles. The agreement covers the joint development of launch vehicles, reusable rocket engines and experimental multi-use space freighters. The principles and conditions for the implementation of the Soyuz-Kuru project were defined. The agreement stipulates that the total cost of construction of the Soyuz-Kuru project will be 344 million euros, of which 130 million euros will be borne by Russia. The two space agencies will build a launch complex in Guyana and use the Kourou launch site to launch Soyuz spacecraft, with the first launch scheduled for 2007. in February Russia said it would participate in the Global Observing System program and the European Unified Space Program. "In February Russia indicated that it would participate in the Global Observing System (GOS) program and the Unified European Space Program (UESP). In terms of cooperation with Germany, in January it was reported that a recently launched Russian Cosmos 3M rocket had successfully conducted a demonstration flight for the launch of a new payload, which had been temporarily adapted to accommodate the launch of the German SAR-Lupe military reconnaissance satellite.In 2005, Russia plans to launch five radar reconnaissance satellites on behalf of the German Bundeswehr. In accordance with the 2003 agreement, a series of military satellites will be launched by Russian-made carrier rockets for the Bundeswehr between 2005 and 2007.
Russia is also actively developing new space launch capabilities. The six-person klipper is designed to replace the three-person Russian Soyuz spacecraft. "The Soyuz has been in operation since the 1960s and is currently the only reliable means of transportation to international space. "More powerful than the Soyuz and lighter than the U.S. Space Shuttle, the "Express" is more like a "taxi" to the ISS. The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) displayed a full-size model of the Shuttle at the Moscow International Airshow in August. If all goes well, and ESA participates by paying some of the costs (in December, the agency is planning to apply for $60 million in funding from its member states), design studies for the Clipper could begin in early 2006, with unmanned flight tests completed by 2011 and manned flight tests by 2012.
Schematic diagram of the fast ship
Basics of the "fast ship" are as follows:
? Access to space: At 13 tons, the Clipper is nearly twice the weight of a Soyuz spacecraft, so it will need a launch vehicle with more thrust. Russian engineers are considering a number of options, including the Ukrainian-built Zenit rocket and the yet-to-be-developed Russian Onega, an improved version of the Soyuz rocket. "Soyuz rocket.
? Crew capsule: The 6.4-meter-long crew capsule and return capsule will be able to accommodate six crew members (including two pilots) plus nearly 500 kilograms of cargo, for a total weight of 10 times that of the Soyuz spacecraft.
? Heat shield: The outer layer of the spacecraft consists of heat-resistant ceramic plates that can be flown several times before they need to be replaced.
? Living Module: The nearly 4-meter-long, detachable living module is equipped with life-support systems, including a toilet and docking port to the International Space Station (ISS).
? Power Thrusters: The instrument module is equipped with thrusters to separate the Clipper from the launch vehicle and to maneuver the spacecraft. It also includes an electronics system powered by a deployable solar array. Both the instrument module and the habitation module will be jettisoned before returning to Earth.
? Two landing options: the spacecraft's short wings enable the pilot to continue maneuvering the spacecraft during descent, and a controlled landing can be accomplished on an airport runway. In the event of an emergency, a parachute will ensure that the Clipper lands safely on the plains of central Russia.
Other reports indicate that Russian space engineers are designing the next generation of super-heavy booster rockets. This three-stage rocket, with a 110-ton low-Earth orbit capacity, could provide the materials for a future space station to be assembled in space. Russia is also developing an "eternal" power generator that can be used both in space and on Earth, and a prototype of this unconventional engine has already been built. The engine is said to be used to regulate the orbits of satellites and space stations, as well as being a clean resource for propulsion, and could be used in the future for sky and surface transportation.
II. Satellites
In early 2005, it was reported that Russia currently had 97 satellites in orbit, of which 81 were functioning, 9 were on standby, and 7 were used for special-purpose projects. By the end of 2005, the number of Russian satellites had returned to 100. The new Russian program is aimed at developing, supplementing, and modernizing Russia's fleet of in-orbit satellites for various purposes. At the end of the year, according to Space Director Pominov, about 40 percent of Russian satellites have exceeded their lifespan, and although the fleet as a whole is still functioning normally, it is necessary not only to replace satellites, but also to extend the service life of existing satellites, with new satellites being able to remain in service for up to 15 years. In addition, Russia should enhance and modernize its space communications systems. Another important element of Russia's new space program is the restoration of space systems for detecting the Earth from a distance. At present, space meteorology is still classified as a weak point. Russia plans to gradually launch modernized satellites and begin restoring the meteorological system starting in 2006. Russia currently has only one operational meteorological satellite, Meteor, but in reality it needs at least four or five such satellites. The construction of the global navigation satellite system GLONASS is also a priority, and Roscosmos says it will be able to launch the system in 2007.
Russia also has extensive international cooperation in satellite construction, and in 2005 signed a $132 million contract with Iran for the construction of a satellite called Zohreh, which is designed to transmit data, audio, and video signals to support Iran's communications infrastructure. On October 27, Russia launched Iran's first satellite, "Sina" (Sina), in the form of an eight-star arrow. in October, Russia said it would set up a joint venture with South Korea to develop and produce a new type of spacecraft, and the two sides discussed the construction of a space launch system and a lightweight launch vehicle project in South Korea.
1. Improvement of satellite performance
In April 2005, Roscosmos emphasized in Urgent Measures for the Maintenance and Development of the Russian Spacecraft In-Orbit Fleet and Orientation that only 39 of Russia's 99 satellites are 100% operational, and that 60 satellites have already exceeded their operational lifespans. Subsequently, in June 2005, the Russian Minister of Information Technology and Communications, Mr. Leonid Lehman, stated that Russia had already transferred a part of its satellites to the Russian Federation. Lehman stated that Russia had quadrupled the service life of some of its communications satellites, ensuring that Russia ranked sixth in the world in the field of satellite communications. He also referred to the launch of eight new multi-purpose satellites since 2000. Currently, the Russian satellite fleet has 100 satellites (5 old satellites remain in orbit) with almost global coverage. Russia has built a new communications satellite, Europe-1, designed to provide high-quality broadcasting.
On January 9, 2005, the Russian Cobalt spy satellite was guided out of orbit prematurely for operational reasons, and on January 20, the Russian Ministry of Defense still had not been able to find the Cobalt spy satellite. "2410), a test satellite that stayed in orbit for only 107 days (the original series stayed in orbit for at least 120 days). The satellite carried two films that had already been sent back to the ground early in the flight in a special module, and the photographic film taken during the final flight phase has not yet been transmitted.
On August 26, Russia launched the Earth remote sensing satellite Monitor-E into a sun-synchronous orbit, where ground crews had regained control of the satellite after a brief communications failure. But on October 19, the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) announced that Monitor-E was out of control.
2. Continuing to improve the GLONASS navigation system, which will be fully operational in 2007
On December 25, 2005, the Proton-K rocket carrying three GLONASS satellites was launched, two of them belonging to the new series of GLONASS-M satellites, and the third belonging to the former series. The new generation of satellites, Glonass-M and Glonass-K, with a service life of 7 and 10 years, will be added to the fleet of orbiting satellites within three years. The new satellites can provide navigation information to numerous users anywhere in the world with a positioning accuracy of 1 meter.
By the end of 2005, Russia's GLONASS system*** had 17 satellites in orbit; in 2006, 10% of Russia's military budget will be allocated to space, and priority will be given to completing the deployment of the GLONASS system; in 2007, the number of satellites of the navigation system will increase to 18, and it will become fully operational; and then, by 2010, Russia will have all 24 satellites of the system (21 satellites) in orbit. All 24 satellites of the system (21 operational and 3 backup) are deployed in orbit and are fully capable of performing navigation functions.
The GLONASS constellation consists of 24 satellites (21 operational, 3 back-up) orbiting at an altitude of 19,100 kilometers (slightly lower than the U.S. GPS navigation system), with each satellite orbiting in about 11 hours and 15 minutes. The satellites are spaced in orbit so that at least five satellites are in view at a given point in time. The first three satellites were orbited in 1982, the constellation achieved initial operational capability in 1993, and the constellation was deployed in 1995. For economic reasons, however, only eight satellites were operational in April 2002 - at that time barely utilized for navigation. 11 satellites were operational in March 2004, and three new GLONASS-M satellites were launched in December 2004 with a seven-year operational life.
On navigation satellites, Russia is cooperating with India on the future launch of two GLONASS-M satellites using the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The two sides are currently working together to develop a new generation of satellites that can be linked to Russia's GLONASS navigation system. Under an intergovernmental cooperation agreement, Russian experts will work with Indian partners to develop GLONASS-K satellites, which will have a reduced weight and increased operational life of 10 to 12 years, and are expected to begin service in 2008.
3, the development of telemetry, remote sensing space systems
Another important element of Russia's new space program is the restoration of long-range detection of the Earth's space systems. At present, space meteorology is still classified as a weak point, and there is only one operational meteorological satellite "Meteor". Russia plans to gradually launch modernized satellites and to begin restoring the meteorological system starting in 2006. Russia is building a new generation of space systems for Earth observation; the first Earth remote sensing satellite will be launched in the second half of 2006.
In the next few years Russia will launch into orbit a complete constellation of high-resolution space radars. At present, Russian specialists have developed several high-resolution radar satellites:
Kondor-E spacecraft. The satellite weighs only 800 kilograms (similar foreign satellites weigh 2-3 tons) and costs 4-5 times less than similar foreign satellites (but has comparable specifications). Its multifunctional radar provides high-resolution images within 500 kilometers on each side of the Kondor-E orbit. The satellite is characterized by a 6-meter parabolic antenna surrounding it, rather than by the absence of a heavy phased-array structure. Control specialists can target these parabolic antennas and quickly scan different areas. The radar on the satellite also provides 30 digital map analog images.
Monitor-E Earth remote sensing satellite. Developed by Russia's Krunichev Space Center, the satellite malfunctioned on launch in August 2005 and was subsequently declared missing. After much effort, Monitor-E was recovered in December and placed in orbit. Weighing only 600 kilograms and unfolding like a 1-meter cube, the satellite will be the first in a series of small-class Earth telemetry systems. Because of the flexible systems it carries, it is the world's first small spacecraft to rival heavy satellites in terms of specifications and capabilities. Russia says it has never had a spacecraft with such capabilities.
Monitor-E belongs to a new generation of spacecraft with intelligent onboard systems and is equipped with two electro-optical cameras with resolutions of 8 and 20 meters. The spacecraft weighs 750 grams, and most of the equipment and specialized components can be called the most advanced in the development of the Russian cosmonautics industry. The fundamental principle behind the construction of the new Russian satellite system for remote sensing of the Earth is to provide a standardized system capable of delivering all functions from launch to final product. The main components of the satellite system are a fleet of small spacecraft based on a unified platform. 70% of the information collected by the Monitor-E satellites is owned by the space agency and used to satisfy the needs of official customers, while 30% goes to the Kruschev Space Center for commercial purposes.
The new technology underlying the Monitor Earth remote sensing system and the observation period it provides will make the system highly competitive on the global market, and in September 2005 it was reported that the Russian Federal Space Agency was planning to announce a tender for the construction of a Monitor-E satellite with a resolution of less than 1 meter, and that the Krusnichov Space Center would be bidding on the contract for its manufacture and launch. Future additions to the Monitor fleet will be Monitor-I (thermodynamics), Monitor-S (stereo imaging) and Monitor-O (high resolution), all equipped with a wide range of optical and electronic equipment, and Monitor-R, which will be equipped with an on-board radar. These satellites will be launched using lightweight launch vehicles.
The Strelka satellite program. This is a $400 million long-term program being invested in, consisting of six satellites, including three radar satellites, designed to aid in the surveillance of oil and gas equipment.
Arkon-2 multi-functional radar satellite. Can provide high-resolution and medium-resolution images to federal bureaus and commercial customers, and can also be used in national defense and international cooperation projects. The satellite has a unique three-band radar. Its decimeter-band observation system (23 centimeters) can find targets in the lower jungle. The radar's 70-centimetre wavelength scans the surface beneath dry land.The Arkon-2 spacecraft also provides detailed, best-quality pictures of the area, with a measuring range of 10x10 kilometers (with a resolution of up to 1 metre), and panoramic pictures of a 450-kilometre area (with a resolution of up to 50 metres). In addition, it can take pictures of measurement lengths ranging from 400 to 4,000 meters. The implementation of the Arkon-2 program over the next three years will mean not only that Russian-made radar satellites will return to orbit, but also that Russia will gain a foothold in the radar satellite intelligence market.
The new-generation Earth observation imaging satellite Resurs-DK1. In August 2005, it was reported that Russia was close to completing the construction of a new-generation Earth observation imaging satellite, Resurs-DK1, a multispectral spectral satellite that will take pictures of the Earth. This multispectral spectral satellite will take photographs of the Earth's surface and send high-resolution image signals back to Earth from the air via a real-time downlink system. The data will update and improve existing digital maps, making it possible to monitor natural resources, provide environmental surveillance and obtain real-time information on natural disasters or emergencies. It was the first downlink system to combine an advanced satellite with a highly specialized ground infrastructure that included not only receiving stations, but also information processing and hardware equipment that could be rapidly marketed. Those capabilities meant that the satellite was at the forefront of international Earth observation technology. In addition to the high-speed downlink, it has a powerful on-board storage capability, enabling images to be reproduced for a wide range of users over a long period of time. With safe redundancy in weight, payload and energy consumption, it can host a number of auxiliary equipment for other research programs.
Earth remote sensing satellite Meteor 3M. Russia's first Earth remote sensing satellite, Meteor 3M, will be launched in late 2006. The first Russian satellite for remote sensing of the Earth, Meteor 3M, will be launched later in 2006. In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Space Program for 2006-2015, Russia will build seven remote sensing systems aimed at mastering the basics of the Earth and monitoring natural resources. The main goal of the program is the construction and development of an in-orbit remote sensing complex and the creation of a user-accessible infrastructure. Users include the Ministry of Emergency Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Transportation and others. (Zhang Guohua Xu Hongying, China Aerospace Engineering Consulting Center)