Russia Announces Plans to Build New Space Station with NASA

Roscomos, the Russian Space agency, has announced plans for Russia and the US "NASA" to work on a new Space station to replace the ISS. The ISS is set to operate until 2024, and while the article doesn't say exactly when this new orbital station will be in working order, I'd assume it will be up by then.

"Roscosmos together with NASA will work on the programme of a future orbital station," the head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency, Igor Komarov said, quoted by Interfax news agency.

Komarov made the announcement flanked by NASA administrator Charles Bolden at Russia's Baikonur launchpad in Kazakhstan.

"We agreed that the group of countries taking part in the ISS project will work on the future project of a new orbital station," Komarov said.

The Russian space chief said that the project to build the new station would be "open" and could include countries that are not currently involved in the ISS.

Pretty cool, ATS. I wonder how big this new station will be and what improvements it will have over the ISS. I also wonder if 3D printing will be incorporated in the building/ fabrication. With 3D printing there's almost no limit as to how big they could make this new station. As Space opens up to commercialization will there be facilities to accommodate this new venture for humankind? There's a lot of great potential for this new station. My question is will those in power take advantage of this moment and move us forward into Space? What says ATS?

news.yahoo.com...

a reply to: lostbook

So I guess that means no WW3 and all the US/Russian proxy wars are going to die down and go away? Or are the corporations and bankers going to keep the "ruse" going so they can fund the new space station on the backs of present and upcoming wars? Strange announcement at a strange time considering the state of world affairs...

Cheers - Dave

a reply to: lostbook

I would rather see a permanent base on the moon. Your right on about 3D printers... not the ones we have now, but the ones that will exist in 5-10 years. We need to get to the moon with robots who can prepare the way. Dig the tunnels, shore up the walls, get the solar panels up and crank up the reactors. Then we can move in the space marines and build bunkers before the Zerglings get there. I'm not sure how the flame throwers will work though. (Sorry for the Star Craft reference.)

But yea, we need a permanent moon base or were just playing around. We have had enough of the tiny little space stations. I'm not sure why we need to build another of the same thing. I thought the plan was to try to limit space debris?


V

a reply to: lostbook

Don't get me wrong, these are nice political gestures.

In the end though, what we need is to begin to expand out into the solar system and that means moon operations.

The moon is a big place with a lot of resources, enough for everyone who can get there. The solar system, well, that is even bigger yet.

originally posted by: bobs_uruncle
a reply to: lostbook

So I guess that means no WW3 and all the US/Russian proxy wars are going to die down and go away? Or are the corporations and bankers going to keep the "ruse" going so they can fund the new space station on the backs of present and upcoming wars? Strange announcement at a strange time considering the state of world affairs...

Cheers - Dave

The hysterical crap in the media which is either invented by or exaggerated by them most of the time bears little resemblance to reality in my experience. There are joint ESA/Roscosmos ventures going ahead as planned as well.

originally posted by: lostbook With 3D printing there's almost no limit as to how big they could make this new station.

Yes there is.

The limit is still money.

You still have to get it to orbit.

And even it you put the 3d printer in obit its still limited by the raw materials you get from earth to orbit.

Of course if you can harness resources in space my point becomes moot.

It's a shame that Roscosmos/ESA/NASA won't work together to build a space station that will orbit the moon. That would definitely be progress.

a reply to: bobs_uruncle

So I guess that means no WW3 and all the US/Russian proxy wars are going to die down and go away? Or are the corporations and bankers going to keep the "ruse" going so they can fund the new space station on the backs of present and upcoming wars? Strange announcement at a strange time considering the state of world affairs...

I think you can take it that there is politics and then there is the real world. This should tell you that regardless of the doom porn you are reading the likelihood is long term cooperation. But, if i were to put on my **Conspiracy hat**... What if the reason is that Russia and the US know that, regardless of our issues here on Earth, there is a greater threat/issue going on, that in the long run, is more important to everyone concerned i.e. aliens.

Imagine that there was a threat, but it was far off. For various reasons of practical scientific reality nothing COULD be done for 30 years. In the mean time, life goes on, maybe there is a reason why the current struggle matters in the long run (given the above scenario.)

**Ok taking my hat off.**

originally posted by: EternalSolace
It's a shame that Roscosmos/ESA/NASA won't work together to build a space station that will orbit the moon. That would definitely be progress.

Funding is a big problem, a large proportion of the public view a lot of this stuff as a waste of money. Outreach is improving though which helps greatly. But whenever you see anything announced in the news which humanity should be excited there are still a significant number of hippies, religious fundamentalists and just plain old cavemen types that view it as a waste of money or a challenge to their beliefs. Just look at the most popular type of TV which tends to be reality junk and soaps to see the level of intellect these people have and try explaining to them why it's important and why they should be interested.
The sad thing is that it's not even a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, if the money that went to benefits, foreign aid or war was spent on science we'd probably be building long term starships.

a reply to: bobs_uruncle

Strange announcement at a strange time considering the state of world affairs...

Well Russia does have it's place in space history, and with that they are proud of their space program but with the sanctions over Ukraine hitting them hard they understand the way to keep that pride is to work with others.

Now if they weren't having tough times because of sanctions they would have built their own.

motherboard.vice.com...

originally posted by: Variable
a reply to: lostbook

I would rather see a permanent base on the moon. Your right on about 3D printers... not the ones we have now, but the ones that will exist in 5-10 years. We need to get to the moon with robots who can prepare the way. Dig the tunnels, shore up the walls, get the solar panels up and crank up the reactors. Then we can move in the space marines and build bunkers before the Zerglings get there. I'm not sure how the flame throwers will work though.

(Sorry for the Star Craft reference.)

But yea, we need a permanent moon base or were just playing around. We have had enough of the tiny little space stations. I'm not sure why we need to build another of the same thing. I thought the plan was to try to limit space debris?


V

Everyone knows the protoss are already waiting with colossus void rays and shadow archons.

We have to wait for the zergling banelibgs and hydralisks to cone through and clear us a landing zone.

I just hope the queen of blades stays home or we are toast.

originally posted by: lostbook
Roscomos, the Russian Space agency, has announced plans for Russia and the US "NASA" to work on a new Space station to replace the ISS. The ISS is set to operate until 2024, and while the article doesn't say exactly when this new orbital station will be in working order, I'd assume it will be up by then.

"Roscosmos together with NASA will work on the programme of a future orbital station," the head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency, Igor Komarov said, quoted by Interfax news agency.

Komarov made the announcement flanked by NASA administrator Charles Bolden at Russia's Baikonur launchpad in Kazakhstan.

"We agreed that the group of countries taking part in the ISS project will work on the future project of a new orbital station," Komarov said.

The Russian space chief said that the project to build the new station would be "open" and could include countries that are not currently involved in the ISS.

Pretty cool, ATS. I wonder how big this new station will be and what improvements it will have over the ISS. I also wonder if 3D printing will be incorporated in the building/ fabrication. With 3D printing there's almost no limit as to how big they could make this new station. As Space opens up to commercialization will there be facilities to accommodate this new venture for humankind? There's a lot of great potential for this new station. My question is will those in power take advantage of this moment and move us forward into Space? What says ATS?

news.yahoo.com...

at the moment our biggest fairing diameter allowed is 5 meters i think. therefore look for the next generation space station to consist of cylinders no larger than that in diameter. the station will consist of modules that look pretty much like the modules on the ISS. perhaps with a different truss structure. even with that limitation there is considerable room for variation; even a ring set up.

of course it is possible they may do in space extrusion of building hull plates or gigantic printed components but the bulk materials still have to be lifted off from earth unless serious progress is made ISRO.

budgetary realities being what they are i believe, like the russians, they will reuse components of the current ISS in the next station. the problem is the ISS machinery is old. the plumbing is old. the duct work is old. and using the old components will not allow for state of the art design and technology improvements throughout a "new" station.

what will most likely happen is a hybrid of old ISS parts and new modules and perhaps a new arrangement of modules. perhaps in a different orbit. nah. because all the fancy civilian transports are designed around LEO. they cannot put it someplace neat like a l point or lunar orbit.

a reply to: lostbook

A critical look at the overall situation could conclude that the Russians are eager to find anybody that they can hook up with to get their butts back into active space work. Could it be that they blindly assume that their heavy lifters will save the day for themselves? Maybe, more or less. As I recall, the ISS was going to be abandoned around 2019 or but this info talks about it living until 2024.

Remember when Reagan asked Gorbachev to join us in our "Star Wars" program in 1984? That was never explained as whether against aliens or Chinese? This new relationship brings to mind the delayed exit of the shuttle when it was clearly evident, and very strange, that there was no US replacement standing ready to blast off in a fiery plume of rocket exhaust.

They have the big rockets to continue for a couple of more years of supplying the ISS--for all to see--and we let them seemingly rule that show. Evidently, the Russians are being given a piece of or chance of at a piece of the triangle pie that must eventually gets to the economic table. After all, it is painfully evident to them that we have the triangles and they have their big rockets and a lackluster space program. They need a space-capable buddy. A win-win for both sides.

(Oh, damn, did I defy conventional thinking again?)

a reply to: Aliensun

A critical look at the overall situation could conclude that the Russians are eager to find anybody that they can hook up with to get their butts back into active space work. Could it be that they blindly assume that their heavy lifters will save the day for themselves?

Get their butts back to space? Their "heavy lifters" are the only ones going there currently.

To the thread: Im wondering how they are gong to put modules in space? Will they take the Shuttle out of retirement, build a new one? You know what thats going to cost?

Nice peaceful proposal, the last space race was started by Kennedy… he's dead. Now we just build weapons and surveillance technology.

a reply to: lostbook

Thats pretty awesome. Its about time we did things like this. There will be no peace unless we achieve goals for the good of all and only if we do so together. Instead of focussing on military technology that can bleed through to the private sector in the form of products like velcro and tang we buy for a profit after funding their development, we should develop technologies and infrastructure for the betterment of our species. We should colonize mars together. Perhaps the conquest of Mars and other celestial bodies will curb our mutual thirst for military supremacy.

Russia wants land because it needs resources and it wants markets it can control to sell its resources. Ok. SO lets conquer space and get those resources and then lets sell them back home for for a profit. Russia and the US should have plenty of breathing room if they worked together. India and China would not take a lead. The pie is essentially going to be divided in two if we work together.

That should avoid war. I would even ask them to help us work with the Japanese to build underwater installations for scientific deep water exploration vessels. If we had leaders that could look to the universe with greed that is hungry for the betterment for our species and ambition to advance our stake in our solar system, I think the world and people that would emerge would surprise them all.

I would colonize mars and make it the capital of government for the human race. International governance would reign from there....THOSE colonists would represent a new type of people far removed from our terrestrial BS.

Just a thought.

I think this a great political move by Russia/Roscosmos.

At the present time Russia intends to take its segments of ISS and develop an independant Mars mission using that technology and more modern hardware/software. At the same time, the USA/NASA has been steadfastly opposed to India and China having much involvement in ISS.

Despite this, both India and China have been developing their own space capabilities quite nicely regardless.

Perhaps Russia is taking a chance to advocate for it friends a position at the space-station table. This also puts the US in the minority position something that potentially puts its hegemonic position as leader of space exploration at serious risk. I would not be surprised to see the US "ban" India and China from participation in this future project - just like they did with ISS.

The Russian position puts pressure on the US to open space to all nations, something it may not be willing to allow.

On the topic of station design, purpose and construction methods I would love more detail. Like many I see a Moon-1st strategy as a good one, which means I prefer a Lunar base rather than an Lunar-orbit Station. Build there, develop Lunar-low gravity sustainability (food production, air production, energy harvesting, water harvesting, construction capability, human capabilities etc.), then jump through Sol system, then elsewhere.

It would be a slow programme (unless we achieve breakthrough tech) but steady progress could be capable. Plus a United Human Effort could be brilliantly effective.

originally posted by: intrptr
Get their butts back to space? Their "heavy lifters" are the only ones going there currently.

The Russian's "heavy lift" proton M has a lower capacity to LEO (low Earth orbit) and to GTO (Geostationary transfer orbit) than does the United States' Delta IV Heavy, which is built by Untied Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Lockheed and Boeing.

To do any real heavy lifting (such as the largest pieces of the space station and large probes, such as the Curiosity Rover), the United States' Delta IV Heavy is best for the job. The Space Shuttle had a higher capacity to LEO than the Russian Proton-M, but the shuttle has been retired.



The U.S. Delta IV Heavy has a payload capacity of:

LEO = 28,790 kg (63,470 lb)
GTO = 14,220 kg (31,350 lb)


Russia's Proton-M has a payload capacity of:

LEO = 22,000 kilograms (49,000 lb)
GTO = 6,700 kilograms (14,800 lb)


There is also the Arianne 5 built by the ESA that (in various configurations) has the following capcities:

LEO = 21,000 kg (46,000 lb)
GTO = 10,500 kg (23,100 lb)

Good cop, bad cop!

originally posted by: AgentSmith

originally posted by: bobs_uruncle
a reply to: lostbook

So I guess that means no WW3 and all the US/Russian proxy wars are going to die down and go away? Or are the corporations and bankers going to keep the "ruse" going so they can fund the new space station on the backs of present and upcoming wars? Strange announcement at a strange time considering the state of world affairs...

Cheers - Dave

The hysterical crap in the media which is either invented by or exaggerated by them most of the time bears little resemblance to reality in my experience. There are joint ESA/Roscosmos ventures going ahead as planned as well.

I think you'll find all the WWIII doom porn occurs on sites like this who accuse the MSM of not being honest about the impending apocalypse.