1greywind

Planned launch date: 25.12.2015 ÃÅ“ÃËœÃÅ¡ àà(launch vehicle test and assemble facility) is almost ready for beginning of Soyuz assembly: Launch pad and Mobile service tower also are on final stage of launch preparations: Soon we (as humanity) will have new place to launch things into Space.

Whole thread is complete *****. Reminds me absurdly long threads on NK (kosmonautics news journal) forum - years and years of pointless flame. Angara discussion thread is literally 13 years old (started in 2004) and goes. Guys, any success in space exploration is possible only in cooperation between nations, governments, their space agencies and private companies. Where SpaceX will fly their manned Dragon's if there was no ISS? What private company will build next MSL rover? SpaceX and other private sector players does not have space program. NASA does (not very precise but much better than Musk's "let us build MCT and somehow send people to space with it). What private companies do better than NASA - is costs optimization. They do not have JPL on payroll and tens of ongoing missions that need money to keep going. NASA and SpaceX are not in competing positions. Dragon can not replace Orion for missions outside LEO. Orions is too pricey to be used as space taxi. Why even set them against each other?

Angara A7 and Angara A3 are not included in Federal Space Program list until year 2025. And were are no plans to build launch pad for Angara A7 anywere. Two pads on Vostochniy were founded and construction scheduled to be finished until 2018 (but 2020 is more realistic date). Both pads are for Angara A5 or A5V and they cannot be used for Angara A7. The recent oil prices drop and rubl devalvation have very heavy impact on Russia Federal Space Program 2016-2025. Most notably is freezing works on Nuclear Powered Orbital Tug (http://tass.ru/kosmos/1927683) and on heavy launch vehicle (project Amur).

Lagrange points "SOI" is not possible because they are not analog of gravitating body, they are complex regions on overlap of gravitational field of two bodies that orbit common barycenter. Without barycenter where are no real sence in lagrange points surrogate. And by the way, how you'll think to emulate Duna and Ike orbining common barycenter? Add more fake "SOI" to empty space? This will not work.

On my work (small size IT team) is one guy is pretty decent KSP player (although he prefer planes and "nice looking stuff" so he is strict FAR and mods user) and few people have tried KSP and was pretty impressed (and of course here am I - hardcore stock KSP fan).

There is option "show termal info on right click" in debug menu (Alt+F12). Turning it on will allow you to see actual temperature and heat flow rate on selected part. And after some experiments you can precisely determine how many radiators you need.

RD-180 was developed by Energomash for joint USA-Russia enterprise that is holder of all schematics and rights for production. Initial goal was to start production of localized version of RD-180 on american soil. But as years passed, it was always cheaper to just order new batch of engines that start production of localized versions. Even now with all this "sanctions" nonsense, USA have all rights and schematics to start it's own production of RD-180 but it is still cheaper to make "exception" in sanctions list.

I'll add few simulation videos: Distant view of 2 BH merger: Simulation of merger between events horizons of 2 black holes with mass ration 2:1 : Simulated view of 2 black holes merger as seen from some distance over stars background: http://rebrn.com/re/two-black-holes-merging-animation-120097/

I want to share link to picture heavy report from unauthorized visit to Energomash testbed where world most powerful engines (RD-170, RD-180, RD-264) were tested. http://lana-sator.livejournal.com/160176.html Few picture to gain attention: This enormus chimney towers are used to disperse rocket motor's exhaust high into air becouse facility is located in populated ares (here). This is how it looks then on full power: Btw it is very, very kerbal idea to build testbed for rocket engines on toxic components (in 1960-1970 Energomash's specialization was N2O4-UDMH engines for ICBM and space. Notably Proton's RD-275) near contry's most populated city. Chimney interrior: Testbed interrior: RD-170 on testbed: I wish we have something like that in KSC. I want to put Mainsail on this power ring: ... and hit space bar on full throttle

It is possible to manage even with stock and new aerodynamic. Make airstrip from large plates, or rectangular wing segments. Airplane on Laythe will need somewhat ~100 meters of runway to make easy landing. It is well within VAB building space. But if you will be satisfied with VTOL base things are even easier: I've made this for 0.90 and it will work for 1.0.4; even launch vehicle will work (go straight up below mach 1 until 30000 meters and then to orbit); but you'll need multiple passes of aerobreaking in Jool system on arrival: Laythe->Jool->Laythe, old style "going down on 8 km/s" will not work: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/93085-Laythe-Expeditionary-Base-%28flying-floating-VTOL-ship-with-flight-deck%29

New version works great: nothing to report on bug side) Thank you for hard word!

What do you prefer - let kazahs to sell it for scrap like they did with Sary-Shagan or Semipalatinsk testing ground facilities?

Another link I must to share. Author of unique photoset of survived Buran's hardware also visited the full-size stress-test mockup of Engeria-M (downscaled version of the meighty Energia launch vehicle): http://ralphmirebs.livejournal.com/220278.html Vehicle mass: 1050t Payload to LEO: 34.0t Payload to GTO: 7t I must note that despite visible familiarity with Ariane V this launch vehicle uses liquid-powered boosters, not SRB.

This is very, very bad news. Consoles = bad interfaces, bad controls, simplified gameplay, limited resources.

The "ßтøчúð" (Ptichka) was flying mock-up with airbreathing engines for landing tests - http://buran.ru/htm/anabst.htm. The "Burya" is the second Buran class shuttle. Second "Buran" in Ãœ×ÃÅ¡ is full-size mockup for mating and load tests. Burya has RCS thrusters installed to ports on nose, mockup has blind RCS port: Burya: Mockup:

My parents worked in Óßâß Óрðýøт - organization, responsible for construction of Buran's automatic landing facilities. And for me it is much more depressing and personal than just "sad"

I must share this. Fresh photo report from Mounting and Refueling Facility (Ãœþýтðöýþ-÷ðÿрðòþчýыù úþüÿûõúÑÂ) on Baykonur's pad 112a - the home of full-size Buran's mockup and second fightworthy ship "Burya". http://ralphmirebs.livejournal.com/219949.html

Yes, it is. There was major problems with subcontractors denying workers salary for 3 moths (this was the reason for large workers strike in march). But I don't remember big projects in Russia or USSR that didn't have problems. Few fresh photo reports from construction site if you interested: one two and video: , . Current deadline for first launch is "the end of 2015" but I personaly think they will delay it for at least spring of 2016.

Interesting video from Roscosmos showing planned workflow of Vehicle assembly complex (combines storage area for booster parts and vehicle assembly and testing facility in one building). Video timeline: 0:19 - 0:37 áosmodrome map in current state. Map legend: 1c - Soyuz launch pad 2.1 - Vehicle assembly and storage complex 2.3 - water inflow for site #2 3.2 - fuel components storage facility 3.3 - water inflow for site #3 4 - industrial area 4.1 - main meteorological facility 5 - airport 6 - cosmodrome main industrial area (constructions, logistics, maintenance, etc) 6.1 - administrative facility 6.2 - living area (Tsiolkovsky city) 0:37 - 1:50 Vehicle components storage, rocket assembly, testing, mating payload with 3-stage, 1:50 - 3:03 Assembled vehicle on launch pad, fueling, launch preparation Vehicle components arrive to storage are by railroad, then it is transfered to large cart that moves through transborder gallery (it connects all parts of VAB) to vehicle assembly facility. 3:03 - 4:07 First launch form Vostochniy (Lomonosov science satellite on Soyuz 2.1a with Volga upper stage) - planned flight sequence. 4:07 - 4:26 Most intresting part: plans for cosmodrome expansion in 2 stages: 2016-2020 (launch pad for Angara, cosmoanuts training facility, manned spaceship preparation and testing facility) and 2021-2030 (another launch pad (for heavy launch vehicle? which one?), deep space communication facility, another facility for manned space ships).

Well, I'd built this one for RCS racing in space: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/95366-Zero-G-RCS-Race! You can easely build something like this for ground racing using VAB expansion plugin and welding plugin to reduce FPS.

Not a word about hotfix?

~12 km PA works for me. Edit: Remember, that aerobraking effectiveness highly depends on craft shape. This crafts stack (lander + tug) gets Duna aerocapture with 12 km PA: http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/35245682311255554/3B7ED0221E40C6957EA9F49B04F9B4FED8DCF231/

@K^2: Now I see that you position is not that radical as I first thought. And I see only one point where I must object: Personally I think they only want to complete presidential decree about first launch from Vostochny in the end of 2015 - somehow put rocket with "Lomonosov" sat on launchpad and hope it will not explode. Yep. Time will tell. I have low expectations about future of Russian space program. Some optimism come from some newly emerged privat russian space companies - Dauria-aerospace, Lyn-industries, but state space corps are constant source of disappointment.

@K^2: Well, why if you understand reasons beyond this, why you are so critically minded on using students as workers on Vostochny? Both cases have same reasons, both use administrative power to enforce and in both cases new workforce is needed as emergency.

@K^2, I would like to hear your opinion on this initiative. Is it sign of "f'ed Russia going to f'ed s't" too?