Events in Russia and the world. Analytical publications. Materials of press conferences. Video and photo reportsRocket and Space Corporation (RSC) Energia is engaged in the preliminary design of a promising Russian orbital station (ROS).
It is assumed that these works will be completed this year. As the Director General of Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, announced at the end of January, the ROS will become a key element of the sovereign infrastructure for manned space flights to low Earth orbit. Vladimir ROS, Deputy General Designer of RSC Energia, Chief Designer, told TASS about the timing of the station's deployment and inclination, its protection from space debris and crew rescue means in an interview with TASS Kozhevnikov.
— Vladimir Evgenievich, in what time frame will the Russian Orbital Station be deployed?— The timing of the deployment of the ROS will be determined based on the results of the preliminary design of the station, which should be completed in 2023.
At the moment, the launch date of the first — the scientific and energy module (NEM) - is planned for the end of 2027, the nodal, gateway, base and target modules — for the period 2028-2030.
The work on NEM has been fully deployed after a pause. The draft draft of the ROS defines the requirements for its completion, which will be implemented starting from 2024. The launch of the NEM into the ROS orbit is planned with the help of the Angara-5M rocket.
It is planned to deliver crews to the new station using a promising transport vehicle (PTK), which will be launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome. Thus, the strategy should be implemented: a new station — a new ship — a new spaceport.
— The station will be built according to the principle of the designer — will it be "eternal" or will the service life be limited to the lifetime of the base module?— The station will indeed be practically "eternal".
The proposed project provides for the possibility of replacing modules that have spent their life. This will allow not only to maintain its operability, but also to ensure that the technical and technological equipment of the station is maintained at a modern level.
— Has the inclination of the station's orbit been determined?— Yes, according to the results of the first stage of the preliminary design, a "high" inclination of the orbit was selected at the ROS: from 96.8° to 97°, which will allow obtaining new operational capabilities compared to the Russian segment of the ISS and the previous stations of the Soviet period of cosmonautics development.
— Please tell us about the ways to rescue astronauts in case of emergency situations during the launch. Over which areas will the withdrawal route pass? Is the launch route over the Arctic Ocean and the deployment of rescue helicopters on three archipelagos really being considered?— Methods of rescuing astronauts in the event of emergency situations have already been worked out for many years during the launches of Soyuz manned transport ships, but for launches to the ROS it is necessary to take into account the features of the launch route associated with the harsh climate of the Arctic and subarctic zones and undeveloped transport infrastructure, which limits the use of search and rescue equipment.
If it is impossible to evacuate the crew in a timely manner, planes with rescue parachute groups on board, having at their disposal means of rescue and life support, will be sent to the landing area.
The withdrawal route will pass through the regions of Eastern Siberia and the Far North, including over the waters of the Arctic Ocean. The airfield network along the withdrawal route allows search and rescue operations to be carried out throughout the land section, as well as on a significant part of the sea section at the expense of airfields on the islands of Severnaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land.
Most of the offshore section of the withdrawal route passes through the western part of the Russian Arctic, where the naval operations headquarters (based on FSUE Atomflot) and marine rescue centers operate year-round. The withdrawal site in the Greenland Sea will be covered by a rescue vessel, as well as aircraft from the airfield in Severomorsk.
In general, the task of search and rescue operations during launches into orbit with an inclination of 97 ° is feasible.
— Will the new station have improved protection against radiation, meteorites and space debris compared to the ISS?— In the design of the ROS modules, screening of the cosmonauts' stay zones will be provided.
The radiation situation on board will be monitored by a specialized dosimetric monitoring system.
The protection of the ROS from micrometeoroids and space debris will not differ significantly from the protection of the ISS. The ROS modules will be "dressed" in a kind of multilayer armor — anti-meteoroid screens. It is also envisaged that the station can perform shrapnel evasion maneuvers similar to the ISS. Space debris evasion maneuvers will normally be performed using the station's engines, it is also possible to use the engines of docked ships. The ROS will be protected from breakdown for particles up to 1 cm flying at speeds up to 10 km/s.
— In general, what new technologies will be used?— Elements of structures and aggregates of ROS are planned to be created from new materials and alloys using additive technologies.
This will reduce the cost of creating a station and facilitate its construction.
It is planned to control the orientation of the station using gyro stabilizers powered by electricity, which will significantly reduce the need for delivered fuel. Fuel compressor manufacturing technologies will also be improved.
It is planned to modernize the life support system of the crew in orbit, i.e. the entire complex of systems that makes a person's stay at the station more comfortable, safe and efficient. The autonomy of the crew, thus, will be increased, and the need for cargo traffic, for example, for the delivery of water and gases to the station, will be reduced. Spacesuits for spacewalking will also be improved.
— Will robots be used?— In order to facilitate the work of a person in orbit, robotic tools will be created on board the ROS, it is planned to use virtual and augmented reality technologies.
Compared to the Russian segment of the ISS, the number of jobs for connecting the target equipment will be multiplied at the ROS. We will get significantly more special points on the surface of the station to accommodate various scientific and applied equipment for conducting experiments and targeted work.
ROS should become a kind of springboard for testing promising and improving existing technologies in space, including communication technologies, production of materials and components.
In order to improve the technical design of the ROS, the public will be involved in the course of its design. We are already working together with students and teachers of the Stroganov School.
— How much money will be required for the first stage of the creation of the ROS?— As I have already said, now we are at the stage of preliminary design of the station.
It is premature to talk about specific figures, it is necessary to coordinate, including with government agencies. But in any case, these costs are much less than for the creation and operation of the ISS — at the moment, according to expert estimates, they have already exceeded $ 150 billion.
— Which enterprises are involved in the creation of ROS? Is it a big cooperation?— At the stage of preliminary design, about 30 enterprises were involved.
When the project enters the stage of development of working documentation, manufacturing and testing, the number of cooperative enterprises may approach 100.
In the history of modern Russian cosmonautics, there has never been a project of such scale and complexity, and our common task is to implement it within the specified time frame, preserving the principle of continuity in manned cosmonautics.
