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The project to create a nuclear-power transport module, intended to fly to the moon and Mars, will receive 3.81 billion rubles ($60 million) in funding in 2016-2018, according to the public procurement website.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The decision to design space transport powered by a megawatt-class nuclear power unit was made in 2010. As reported, the technical solutions embodied in the concept of transport and energy module will allow to solve a wide range of space tasks, including research programs on the moon and distant planets as well as establishing automated bases on them.
[Edit for brevity. --DJW001]
The new project involves the use of ionic electric jet engines, in which the jet thrust is created by accelerating the electric field of the ion flux. The nuclear reactor delivers the electric current required for this process, and radioactive substances do not make contact with the external environment. It is assumed that xenon will be used as the working fluid in the engine.
60Mil for Space exploration doesn't sound like much but it's exciting to hear that they are going to use nuclear propulsion instead of chemical. SnF for the great news!
originally posted by: defiythelie
a reply to: DJW001
Meh Russia can not even afford to modernize their Navy, I don't buy this claim for a second.
You're comparing apples to oranges, everything cost 10x more for NASA compared to the rest of the world.
Dont underestimate Russia they destroyed you in the space race, and look at India and China's budget.
originally posted by: muSSang
a reply to: Orionx2
You're comparing apples to oranges, everything cost 10x more for NASA compared to the rest of the world. Dont underestimate Russia they destroyed you in the space race, and look at India and China's budget.
The rest of the world can do it and do it cheaper.
originally posted by: DJW001
originally posted by: defiythelie
a reply to: DJW001
Meh Russia can not even afford to modernize their Navy, I don't buy this claim for a second.
Russia knows that it cannot project power through military means, so it is desperately looking for a way to project soft power. Space exploration was the Soviet Union's most successful means of doing this, followed by ballet. Watch for a ballet offensive in the near future.