Cosmonautics
By Dennis Newkirk
COPYRIGHT 1995 by CSPACE PRESS INC. All rights reserved
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Oct./Nov. 1995
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION DEVELOPMENTS
Thagard Returns to Russia.
After a month in Houston for medical tests, Mir-18 NASA
astronaut Norm Thagard went back to Russia and attended a
celebration at Star City on July 7. There he had to continue
denying reports that he had been wining about his mission to Mir.
Thagard and his Russian crewmates, Dezhurov and Strekalov laid
wreaths at the statue of Gagain in the town square in a formal
ceremony.
EuroMir 95
On Sept. 3 the EuroMir 95 mission was launched beginning the
longest ESA mission to Mir. This mission builds on the month long
EuroMir 94 mission in 1994. German Thomas Reiter will spend around
135 days on Mir and carry out the first ESA EVA (although not the
first European EVA - that being Jean-Loup Chretin in December
1988). Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Avdeyev are the Russian portion
of the crew but Avdeyev will be performing some of the ESA tasks
along with Reiter which include deploying devices to capture space
junk and planetary dust particles in 4 boxes to be installed
outside the Spektr module.
The EuroMir 95 mission has an extensive science program a
majority of which are medical experiments including cardiovascular
studies of blood pressure regulation, blood composition changes,
bone mass loss countermeasures, respiratory degradation and
radiation exposure. Material experiments include process glass,
metal alloys and semiconductors in a German Space Agency furnace
(TITUS). About 31 Kg. of material will be returned on STS-74 in
November. Another part of the mission is the launch of 13
paintings all but one of which is to be returned in January 1996
to start a Earth bound public relations tour. The remaining
painting will be kept on Mir for a time.
Reiter is notably the first foreign researcher who is qualified as
a flight engineer, traditionally the role of one of the Russian
crew although in this case he shares these duties with Avdeyev.
The 5 hour EVA is scheduled for October 20 and landing is due on
January 16 1996. After being relieved by the EuroMir crew, the
Mir-19 crew of Anatoly Solovyov and Nikolai Budarin landed in the
Soyuz TM-21 65 miles north-east of the town of Arkalyk on Sept. 11
LAUNCH SYSTEMS
Sea Launch Makes Plans
The Sea Launch project progressed to award of a contract to
Norwegian Kvaerner A/S firm worth $170 Million for tasks including
refitting the semi-submersible oil platform Odyssey in a shipyard
in Stavanger Norway into a launch platform for Ukrainian Zenit
rockets. The UK Kvaerner Govan firm won a $93 million for a
booster transport and control ship for launch operations. The
boosters will be transported from Ukraine to Long Beach,
California and loaded onto the transport ship. Then they will be
taken to the launch platform far away in the Pacific ocean. Up to
6 to 8 launches costing $60-80 Million each can be supported in
the current plan. RKK Energia, NPO Yuzhnoye, Boeing and
KvaernerA/S are joined in the project which is still contingent on
acquiring financing for the $500 million project with its first
launch opportunity scheduled for 1998. Boeing will be responsible
for marketing the service. Also, according to an September 6
report, NPO Yuzhnoye is diversifying its missile business into the
production of pressed cardboard coffins.
To help clear the way for the Sea Launch venture and other
Ukrainian launch services, talks to finalize the financial limits
for the launches so as not to undercut world launch industries
were to take place with US officials in Vienna in late September.
Any launches from Plesetsk or Baykonur will require paying Russia
for use of the facilities in addition to Ukrainian charges. A
space cooperation agreement with China is also being drafted at
this time.
SPACE INDUSTRY
A Minor Failure
On Aug. 31, the SICH-1 and the small FASat-Alpha Chilean
(British built) satellite were launched from Plesetsk on a
Tsiklon-3 booster after 2 delays resulted in 24 hours of delay,
according to Russian Military Space Force spokesman Ivan
Safronov, due to problems with a fuel valve according to later
reports. Ukraine reportedly paid $3.4 Million for the launch.
After achieving orbit the small FASat-Alpha satellite failed to
separate from the SICH-1 as planned. For a time there were some
hopes the satellite could be separated by varying means. The head
of Ukraine's space agency, Alexander Nehoda, placed some blame on
British systems used but it was expected that another satellite
would be built to carryout the mission of atmospheric and ozone
monitoring.
The Brink of Collapse?
Russian Television Network reported that the space industry
funding for 1994 was cut 80% and the military space program was
cut 90% from the previous year. Only 50% of planned launches were
carried out which is amazing in light of the funding cuts. This
probably points to the extensive use of strategic stockpiles and
reserves to carryout missions, a practice which can't last
forever. Space industry work force was reduced by 30% and
scientific researchers were reduced by 50% in the same period. A
Russian economics research center report in August that the
defence industry as a whole, including the aerospace industry, was
working at 25% capacity. This level of activity was termed the
brink of collapse, but there are hopes that foreign orders and
subcontracts may save some of the industry. In a move to help
prevent a collapse it was announced on Aug. 25 that the military
industrial complex would be reorganized into groups consisting of
key design and production enterprises, banks, insurance and
investment firms.
MTCR Sustained
Russia restated its commitment to the Missile Technology
Control Regime (MTCR) in a Decree on Aug. 18, but held out the
rights to ignore it in regard to any member countries of the
Commonwealth of Independent States. For industry and military to
adhere to the regime they must consult the government before
transferring any technology or components that could aid military
missile development by countries not yet possessing that
capability.
SPACE CENTERS
Launch Temporarily Derailed
While preparing for the Progress M-29 launch on Sept. 27 the
unloaded booster rail transporter derailed while being moved to
the assembly building. It was moving at 6 mph when it destroyed 20
meters of track and overturned suffering some damage. There is
only one other transporter operational and it belongs to the
Russian Military Space Forces and was in use on Sept. 29. The Oct.
8 Progress launch was threatened for a time but by the next day
plans had been made to continue the Progress launch and the track
was quickly repaired.
Baykonur Troubles Unsolved
The debate over Russian support of Baykonur has not ended and
shows no true signs of ending until the larger issues of Kazak
debt to Russia is settled. The $115 million lease agreement was
based on the interest due on the dept to Russia and while this is
fine at high levels it means there really is no funding for
Baykonur and will not be for the indefinite future, although some
funds critical to launches and commercial ventures, and $15
Million in Russian funding to Leninsk in 1995 do blur the issue.
Currently the public issue is law enforcement in Leninsk and the
lack of funds from either side to continue running the city. The
city now is governed by a multitude of Russian and Kazak police,
security and law organs. Official are still complaining about
native Kazak's moving into abandoned residences while there is no
means to provide any services to them. Negotiations finalizing the
20-year lease were to be finished in September. Meanwhile, in
August a preliminary agreement was reached between Russia and
Kazakstan over customs, the environment, oil in the Caspian Sea
and travel to Baykonur resulted.
Plesetsk Power Cut
Plesetsk has experienced power outages in recent months, and
at a northern fleet submarine base, power was cut off which
threatened to cause a nuclear accident when backup generators
failed. External power was being used to circulate coolant in
reactors at the time and troops were sent to the local power
company to restore power. Later reports played down any danger,
and it is supposed to be illegal to cut power from critical
military installations.
MILITARY SPACE
North Pole Launch
An apparent first ever launch of a missile from the North
Pole took place on Aug. 25 and was announced by the Russian Navy
press center. A Russian Typhoon ballistic missile submarine
launched the SS-N-20 which delivered 10 unarmed warheads to near
Arkhangelsk. It was also reported that the US government was
alerted ahead of time and monitored the launch. The possibility of
launch under the ice was speculated on in the 1980's and some
evidence of tests were found before the end of the cold war, but
no actual launches were ever reported.
ICBM Test Success
On Sept. 5 at 7:50 GMT a Topol-M (RS-12M2) test flight was
successfully launched from Plesetsk. TASS reported the flight was
successful. Viewing the launch was the Russian Presidents National
Security Affairs assistant Yuri Baturin, First Deputy Minister of
Defence Andrey Kokoshin, Strategic Missile Forces Commander Igor
Sergeyev and design bureau representatives. This followed a failed
launch of an operational SS-25 in April which was witnessed by
Defense Minister Pavel Grachev. The Topol-M is intended to replace
several older types of ballistic missiles as they reach their
lifetime limits. Recently is was decided to retain 350 Topol
mobile missiles longer than the design lifetime of 10 years to
reduce the number of replacements needed. In addition the
development of the Topol-M has been scaled back due to a shortage
of funding. The number of test flights was reduced to just a few
launched. Over 35 years about 1000 ballistic missiles have been
test launched by Soviet and Russian forces.
A Hard Winter Ahead
Meanwhile, the military fearing a bad winter ahead, held a
series of meetings in August to organize for the coming winter and
feeding the troops. Funding for everything from food to fuel is in
extremely short supply. In 1994, the debt to food suppliers
amounted to 245 Billion Roubles that was never paid. This year 715
Billion Roubles are owed so far and the situation doesn't appear
to be improving any. So far to make up the shortages old
stockpiles of emergency rations have been used, but these are now
running out. Combined with up to several months of delayed wages,
some sliders work second jobs at night to earn enough to support
their families. The most extreme situations are found in the far
North and East. Overall funding of the military in 1995 is only
52.6% of that planned, resulting in no pay for about two thirds of
troops.
Rocket Troops Life Hard
Strategic Missile Forces troops often must do without water,
gas, light, heat while being retained while spending 15 to 18 days
on alert duty a month, much more than previously allowed for safe
operations. 2000 troops recently spent time helping with the
harvest around Moscow alone and recent students of strategic
missile schools were used to patrol the streets of Moscow.
Russian Space Policy
On August 7, Decree #791 was signed by Prime Minister Viktor
Chernomyrdin "On Carrying Out Space Activity in the Interests of
the Russian Federation Economy, Science and Security". With the
intention of improving conditions in the space industry, the main
points of the decree are:
1 - The Russian Space Agency (RSA), Russian Federation State
Committee for Defense Sectors of Industry and Russian Federation
Ministry of Defense are to put their main efforts to the following
tasks:
Monitoring the environment and disaster areas
Global positioning systems
Telecommunications around the world and television broadcasts
to Russia
Study of natural resources
Manned spaceflight and materials processing
Scientific research in astrophysics, geology, and solar
studies
Verification of arms control treaties
International agreements, the International Space Station and
planetary studies
2 - The RSA, Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Defence will
adjust programs in response to funding they receive
3 - The RSA will be the state contracting agency for scientific
research and experimental programs for organizations it governs
undergoing conversion from military projects.
4 - The RSA will deliver a plan to the government by the end of
1995 describing how space industry developments can be exploited
in other industries.
5 - The Ministry of Defence and RSA are to provide a proposal to
the government in one month describing the use of Russian
territory as space booster impact zones.
6 - A list of current funding accounts to industry for non-
research and experimental work is to be compiled by the RSA.
7 - An amortization rate of 80% is to be applied to fixed capital
like test facilities at enterprises and research institutes.
8 - A list of enterprises and organizations participating in space
projects will be made by the RSA for examination by the Federal
Energy Commission for which no reduction or restriction in fuel
and energy will not be allowed.
9 - An intergovernmental agreement on customs and duty free
import-export will be developed by the RSA, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and State Customs Committee with the governments of the
ESA, Japan and China.
10 - The Ministry of Finance is to make provisions in draft
federal budgets for the maintenance of unique test facilities of
organizations and enterprises participating in the space program.
[In the above points it should be noted that not all enterprises
are contracted by the RSA for projects, making NASA's agreements
with the RSA for International Space Station components an
exception in the functioning of the RSA, but it does partially
grant the industry giants the power to contract directly to other
customers bypassing the RSA. It should be noted also that the
entities on the privileged list for fuel and power is just that
and not a binding agreement the cutoffs will not occur. - D.N.]
Cosmonautics News is reprinted here with permission from CSPACE
PRESS INC., P.O. Box 9331, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49509-0331
cspace@delphi.com
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