The deterioration of relations with Russia has urged the United States to create their own space vehicles of the new generation, which is supposed to replace the “enemy” “Unions” in 2017. The American space agency has entered into two contracts totaling $ 6.8 million with Boeing and SpaceX. Does this mean the beginning of a new space race?
Dependence on Russia for delivery of the astronauts on the ISS have long tormented by the American authorities, and current President Barack Obama has repeatedly stated the need to strengthen the role of the NASA space program. We recall that the United States does not virgins in the establishment of the spacecraft, and the program to launch its own space shuttle Space Shuttle NASA completed a few years ago, in 2011. At the same time it was launched in 1967, at the height of the space race, started by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and six years after the first manned flight into space – the greatest achievement of the Soviet space program.
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several reasons for the collapse of the program Space Shuttle, including the very high cost and high accident shuttles, coupled with the death of the astronauts. In total, during the independent spacecraft launches Americans killed 14 people. But one of the main reasons is nevertheless an ambitious program called “Constellation”, which was supposed to give up all the power and money, which is only in the American space program. The goal of this new program was, not difficult to guess, the organization of missions to Mars and the permanent missions to the moon. So far, neither one nor the other has not happened and, apparently, NASA decided to do more progmatichnymi goals – at least to fund the American version of the “Union”.
“It was a natural desire, they came to this. Everything goes in the order and with the monetary costs that they can afford. Yes, over the past several years, Congress regularly underestimated the funds for this program, and therefore, NASA as an agency of the Government of the United States opposed, emphasizing the fact that the United States remains dependent on Russia. And that’s bad. Perhaps last year’s events have spurred the desire of all parties concerned that this is a problem that was finally removed. But just to say that this was the main reason they can. As for ships, in general, I have no doubt that American engineers are quite capable of making class ship “Apollo” even now “- shared his opinion in an interview with Pravda.Ru editor, columnist for the magazine” News of Cosmonautics “Igor Lisov .
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United States take away space in Russia?
Ships series “Apollo” – these are the American capsule that participated in the mission program the moon from 1968 to 1975. This program, we recall, was very expensive, it cost NASA (according to Steve Garber, curator site about the history of the American space agency) in the amount of 136 billion dollars today. Create your own space ships, of course, exercise is also very costly. And this program has already proven Shuttle, according to which the shuttles were designed with the expectation of more than 20 starts per year, whereas in fact carried out only 4-5. As a result, a single run was to manage NASA’s $ 400-500 million, and it is expensive even for drumming his chest in America. Today, the significant financial costs to the United States account for the fighting in the Middle East and beyond. Can States now fund the space program to the extent necessary?
“The Congress of the United States each year determines the budget.’s NASA’s budget is probably $ 14 billion a year. A large part of this is when operated on the space program. Therefore, we do not with you to solve, it will solve the American Congress that if tasked to develop, manufacture spacecraft, they will. Regarding Programme Shuttle, then, indeed, it turned out that Shuttle was much more expensive to Americans than planned. And there were two main reasons : first – it was thought that the shuttle will fly more often than actually turned out to be because of cargo space for these aircraft was less than expected. Second – it turned out that after returning to the ground need significant repairs. And it’s significantly raise the price, it was a very expensive system, “- told our correspondent Chief Scientist, Professor Oleg Weisberg.
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However, with the involvement of the private sector (a new spacecraft, as reported above, will create a company Boeing and SpaceX) problem with financing is greatly simplified. The joint project involves the creation of CST-100 capsules and Dragon, who will deliver astronauts into orbit and to the ISS in the near 2017. The fact that the United States will gain independence in the field of manned spacecraft, experts interviewed Pravda.Ru, expressed no doubt about it. But if it does not turn into a new space race in the light of the difficult political situation in the world arena, when the Western world was sharply oppose Russia?
“Where is the race? We too slowly modernize the” Union “, we make a new manned spacecraft generation. Whether it be regarded as a race or as a natural change of generation space technology – it is a matter of interpretation, “- says Igor Lisov.
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“What is important is a matter of agreement between the two countries, – says Oleg in turn Weisberg. – If we have a friendly relationship, I think, the two systems will be used by the two countries. If we will not have friendly relations, so our astronauts will fly on our systems, space vehicles, and the Americans will be flying on American “.
Marie Snytkova
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