Cyril Benedict. Photo from the personal archive
Running heavy rocket “Angara-A5″, which was reported on Tuesday, news agencies, was almost casually.
It’s a shame – not only because in a snow-white beauty, leaving a coal-black sky, watching with pride for their country is impossible, but also because that the recent US launches Orion and Dragon SpaceX attracted much more attention to the Russian media. On the other hand, for the start of “Angara” meet severe military, and information for journalists dosed drop by drop: only illuminates the launch of the media, TV “Star” showed only a process of transporting the missiles from the hangar to the launch pad.
Meanwhile, the event is not just important, but symbolic. Domestic astronautics seems (pah-pah, touch wood) begins to slowly get out of the deep crisis in which stayed all post-Soviet years.
The main problem of the modern space industry of the Russian Federation is not a lack of funding – under favorable economic conditions have steadily increased its scale – and the crisis of goal setting, defining a constant leapfrog projects, ineffective use of budget funds, failures in space activities and avoiding responsibility of managers at various levels.
A year ago I had a chance to take part in the work on the report on the prospects of the Russian space industry. In preparation for our working group met with leading experts of scientific and engineering teams, and representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences Skolkovo. Among them were the “lunatics” – supporters of the priority study of the Moon, “Martians” – enthusiasts manned mission to Mars, the developers of multi-purpose aerospace systems, etc., etc.
Each of them was a high professional, in love with his work and into space. Their arguments sounded so convincing that sometimes it was difficult to determine which of the projects to develop effective and promising for the country.
In one, however, they were all in agreement: Russia vital new launcher that in the next ten years give it a leading position in the segment of space transportation. Many in this favored “Angara”: the project has existed since 1995, has invested huge amounts of money (150 billion rubles), successfully tested in South Korea (the first stage for the Korean carrier rocket KSLV, is a copy of the first stage of “Angara” was developed in the same Khrunichev Center), allows you to run into a low orbit loads up to 25 tons weight low cost kilogram.
The contrast with the views of recognized experts sounded criticism of some mysterious “experts” who – strictly on condition of anonymity – willingly told reporters that “Angara” supposedly around inferior “Proton” and “Zenith” and barely ahead of half a century ago on the effectiveness of the “Union».
In fact, the “Angara” there are some significant advantages over the workaholic-cabbies “Proton”. In contrast to the “Proton”, “Angara” flies not terribly toxic heptyl, and kerosene, a normal plane.
In addition, “Angara” – modular design, it is in orbit Missile universal modules (URMami), whose number may vary depending on the task. We launched yesterday, “Angara” such URMov was five – at the moment it is the most severe modification, although the project provides is altogether a giant “Angara A7 ‘ability to excrete into low orbit to 35 tonnes of payload.
However, even 25 tons more than the maximum payload of “Proton”. So all the talk about the “inefficiency” and “outdated design” “Angara” – no more than usual for some of our media speculation on the eternal theme of “What can be good out of Nazareth?».
A lot of things can be.
Including – modern launcher, not inferior recognized champion among the “heavyweights” – the brainchild of “Boeing» Delta4 Heavy, and in some respects superior competitor. First of all, the cost of delivery of cargo into orbit. Delta is very powerful, but also very expensive carrier – which is why in the early 2000s, he left the market of commercial flights and all launches carried out in the interests of the Pentagon and paid from the state budget.
What As for the “Angara”, the estimated cost of delivery kilogram of payload into low orbit is $ 2.4 thousand., and geosynchronous transfer orbit – $ 4.6 thousand. For comparison, the minimum price for the same kilogram for most of the budget of the American media – Falcon 9 (the one that takes the space of a famous private spaceship Dragon ») – is more than $ 4 thousand. for low orbit and about $ 9.5 thousand. for GAP.
All this allows to predict that at least during the period from 2018, when it is planned to launch “Angara” in the series, and until 2027, the new Russian carrier rocket will be the absolute leader in the market of space out of the reach trucks with low-cost services.
At least, and, perhaps more importantly, “Angara” completely self-sufficient. Both the media and launch complex for him will be made entirely from local materials (the current “Angara”, according to the designers, there are some elements of import, but work is underway to replace them with Russian counterparts). Run as a new missile will be from Plesetsk and East, which is now mounted under it the launching pad.
And that means – no dependence on Kazakhstan, in the light of the difficult relations between the former Soviet republics is extremely important for the future of Russia astronautics. After Russian Cosmodrome operated under lease (until 2050), and attempts to influence Astana place at the Baikonur processes hardly going to benefit the space sector. Its own, independent of import media their own rather than rent space centers – the necessary conditions for a technological breakthrough, which now, after the successful launch of “Angara”, you can at least hope timidly.
Necessary – yes, but is it enough?
And here on the occasion of becoming pathos have to go to a despicable prose of life. Yes, “Angara-A5″ – this is definitely a big win. This is the result of years of effort and hard work of engineers and designers, scientists and workers who have remained true to their ideals.
In spite of everything.
Despite the fact that the room design offices such as the Khrunichev Center (where he developed “Angara”) or an NGO “Lightning” (which designed the legendary “Buran”), shall merchants for rent at offices and warehouses. Despite the fact that highly qualified specialists, to create a complex spacecraft, working in poorly heated rooms with furniture of the 1950s. Despite the fact that graduate Bauman, who came to work in a top-secret space KB, receives less than the secretary, to shift manicured fingers pieces of paper in the office.
In the end, despite the fact that many of our residents country and especially our city did not before “this space».
What, in fact, space, when the dollar jumps like a mad horse, Sberbank raises the interest on the mortgage, and the sixth iPhones so suddenly rose.
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