Russians: masters of space travel

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Well all I am getting is Babylon 5, which makes no damned sense. If you're referring to the Biblical Babylon and the establishment of the Anti-Christ's kingdom there, it still makes no damned sense.

Maybe he means Babylon Revisited. I didn't take you for a Fitzgerald fan, Pann!

 

[Cutlass]

30 Years after the Reagan Revolution, the Russians win the space race.

 

[berkut]

is there danger that the russians nationalize the international space agence?

 

[kgostanek]

Despite the collapse of Soviet union, despite not so economically bright times, Russian outdated equipment is still the only one capable of numerous trips to the space. At the same time US and European politicians and businessmen are bragging about West's technological edge over the rest of the world

Well, let's suppose your right. But for whatever reason that America is using Russian technology is not that it does not have the funds, talent, or expertise. It's probably that the economic advantage to producing our own superior technology is less than the cost of just buying satisfactory technology from Russia. Russian technology is no big mystery.

Even if America and Russia are equally imperialistic, America still has the moral advantage. For the most part, my life is unaffected by the actions of criminal politicians - mostly because use of the police force is usually local and that the disposition of legal cases is handled by judges who face reelection and citizen juries who are sensitive about their own rights.

Years ago, as a young man, I was arrested for a crime (possession of drugs) and feel that the system behaved according to the proper restrictions of Anglo-American law.

 

[Fetus4188]

30 Years after the Reagan Revolution, the Russians win the space race.

By serving as a low-orbit taxi service while the US is developing their Lunar and Mars programs? Yeah...

 

[El_Machinae]

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/peter_diamandis_on_our_next_giant_leap.html

Here's a talk by the founder of the X-Prize, which is trying to get space exploration into the hands of private individuals. He also uses the Russian technology to sell private flights, and formed a space tourism industry which should be taking off soon.

He's probably right when he says that the first trillionaire will be in space. And I think he's right when he says that there is a lot of room for innovation in the space development fields.

 

[philippe]

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/peter_diamandis_on_our_next_giant_leap.html

Here's a talk by the founder of the X-Prize, which is trying to get space exploration into the hands of private individuals. He also uses the Russian technology to sell private flights, and formed a space tourism industry which should be taking off soon.

He's probably right when he says that the first trillionaire will be in space. And I think he's right when he says that there is a lot of room for innovation in the space development fields.

now, i've been wondering about one thing, could it be that the prices for these shuttles and spacecrafts would increase a lot in expenses due to the increased demands for diverse rare metals and their alloys?

 

[Kosez]

Nowadays they make carbon fiber out of organic, non-oil related stuff. I reckon we won't need aluminum and other rare alloys and metals for much more time now. Carbon fiber and ceramics will probably be what future spacecraft will be made off. Unless alloys will be still cheaper.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

We need space technology, I don't care who does it. This shouldn't be some sort of nationalistic competition, the time for that is past.

 

[Yeekim]

I think Russia should stop cooperating with the Babylon. It's against her interests, and against american people's interests.

Might be you meant Persepolis, Pann?

EDIT: As for OT, here does finely suit one of the best LOL quotes of space movies:
"THUMP
- American equipment, Russian equipment... it is all made in Taiwan!"

 

[Patroklos]

Does Russia have running water yet?

 

[Winner]

We need space technology, I don't care who does it. This shouldn't be some sort of nationalistic competition, the time for that is past.

Well, so much as I agree with you, it's not going to be this way.

Space is... land of opportunity. Great powers will struggle to control the space surrounding Earth, because it's vital for their military aims. Recon satellites, global positioning systems, comm satellites, they're vital for any modern military.

If there was a war, space would be a battlefield. And it doesn't end there. In the future, all great powers will probably deploy weapons to space - precise strike kinetic projectiles to strike any target anywhere on Earth, killer satellites to destroy other satellites, communication jamming probes and so on and so on.

In more distant future, many subjects will struggle to control the Moon and its resources.

So I am sceptical. Space won't remain "demilitarized" for much longer.

 

[El_Machinae]

now, i've been wondering about one thing, could it be that the prices for these shuttles and spacecrafts would increase a lot in expenses due to the increased demands for diverse rare metals and their alloys?

I don't know of any specific rare metals which might limit space exploration, though I'm open to the idea. Of course, I betcha there's a host of those rare metals in some near earth asteroids.

If we were in a scenario where a rare metal was really limiting humanity (i.e., the space shuttle competing with porn for a certain rare metal), then it might make sense to go out and get more.

 

[jimbob27]

Does Russia have running water yet?

They don't use water in Russia.

 

[woody60707]

They don't use water in Russia.

If there was ever a reason to make a Russian Appreciation thread.

 

[Gooblah]

Uhm, get your facts right:

1) Space shuttles have not been retired yet, so much for your "100% dependant"
2) NASA is developing next generation crew transport ships, ESA is working on something similar (both alone and in conjunctions with the Russians)
3) ISS is now resupplied by an European spacecraft
4) Even the Russians acknowledge the need to develop new spacecraft for low orbit operations.

But anyway, I hope the current tensions don't affect space exploration, that would be a shame.

Slight problem, though, Winner. IIRC the Shuttle will be retired in 2014, but the Orion project won't be finishing until 2024. So that's a ten year gap of Russian reliance. Second, the European Ariane project (sp?) won't be totally ready until around 2012, and it'll be an automated cargo transport until the project conversion to a passenger-craft is complete a few years later.

 

[warpus]

Well, it doesn't matter anyways, in 15 years time Chinese will build Enterprise. Or two.

I think you mean Entelplise

 

[Commy]

They don't use water in Russia.

Very funny

 

[Patroklos]

Slight problem, though, Winner. IIRC the Shuttle will be retired in 2014, but the Orion project won't be finishing until 2024.

2010 and 2014 respectively, which is no problem at all as long as Russia remembers it is not 1824.

 

[Winner]

Slight problem, though, Winner. IIRC the Shuttle will be retired in 2014, but the Orion project won't be finishing until 2024. So that's a ten year gap of Russian reliance. Second, the European Ariane project (sp?) won't be totally ready until around 2012, and it'll be an automated cargo transport until the project conversion to a passenger-craft is complete a few years later.

Patroklos corrected the dates for me.

Anyway, there is an iron rule of space exploration: it always takes longer than it is predicted

ESA definitely wants to have its own man-capable spacecraft. Americans have practically pushed it towards development of its own crewship. The question is whether it will go for the project with the Russians or it will develop its own craft.

I favor the second option, because otherwise we'll be still dependant on others. But in case the cooperation with Russia (Soyuz rockets starting from Kourou) should continue.