publiusr - 1/6/2007 12:46 PM That really does look to be an (DOS) Almaz! Can't tell if its scaled down or not, or uses different materials. Almaz was to be launched by UR-500 Proton. I wonder if this might just be a mock-up by a high order scam artist. Either that or this is where Russian oil money has been going--that and this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RS-24
The photo represents a real OPS station, albeit one that was cancelled shortly before launch on a Proton. It is a 2nd generation OPS, one with two docking ports.
02hurnella - 7/6/2007 12:28 PM Proton is man-rated? thats news to me..... What are they gonna launch these things on. Can any ELV's take em? Ariane 5? dare I say it GSLV's? They must have something in mind....
The use of the term "Almaz" by this company is unfortunate, since when people here are talking about launching on Proton, they mean the OPS space station, not the capsules. Even though the capsules HAVE been launched on Protons. Proton is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too big to launch Almaz capsules into orbit; instead a small EELV would do the trick, or a Soyuz class LV.
Danderman - 7/6/2007 4:21 PMQuote02hurnella - 7/6/2007 12:28 PM Proton is man-rated? thats news to me..... What are they gonna launch these things on. Can any ELV's take em? Ariane 5? dare I say it GSLV's? They must have something in mind.... The use of the term "Almaz" by this company is unfortunate, since when people here are talking about launching on Proton, they mean the OPS space station, not the capsules. Even though the capsules HAVE been launched on Protons. Proton is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too big to launch Almaz capsules into orbit; instead a small EELV would do the trick, or a Soyuz class LV.
jongoff - 8/6/2007 1:35 AMYeah, as I understand it the Excalibur Almaz guys were one of the groups talking with LM about using their "human rated" Atlas V 401 for the job. It'll be interesting to see where they go with it.
jongoff - 8/6/2007 2:35 AMYeah, as I understand it the Excalibur Almaz guys were one of the groups talking with LM about using their "human rated" Atlas V 401 for the job. It'll be interesting to see where they go with it.~Jon
PRESS RELEASE 082107-1, August 21, 2007First agreement for the commercial useof the VASIMR™ engine signed.Houston, TX., USA. Ad Astra RocketCompany, a Delaware corporation based inHouston, TX. and Excalibur Exploration Ltd.,a British Company based in Douglas, Isle ofMan, have signed an agreement grantingExcalibur Exploration Ltd. the right of firstrefusal to acquire VASIMR engines forspace resource recovery. The VASIMR™(Variable Specific Impulse MagnetoplasmaRocket) is a high power and high specificimpulse plasma rocket, currently underdevelopment by Ad Astra to support solarand ultimately nuclear electric in -spacepropulsion needs.The agreement, signed yesterday at AdAstra’s Houston headquarters, also providesfor an Excalibur-funded 6-month study tosupport the development of a conceptualasteroid mission using the VASIMR™engine.“We are very excited by this historicagreement and very proud to team up withsuch a visionary company as ExcaliburExploration” said Ad Astra’s Chairman andCEO, Dr. Franklin Chang Díaz.“The VASIMR™ is a key enablingtechnology for the future of space flight. Webelieve this is a great next step for both AdAstra and Excalibur, hopefully the first ofmany.” said Art Dula, Excalibur Exploration’sCEO.>
libs0n - 1/2/2008 7:50 PMCool gear and all, but what's the point of all this? Who's paying for it; what's the market? How could they ever afford an Atlas launch to put just two men up? Does not compute.
Capt. David - 2/2/2008 4:17 PMIt Near Earth orbit and it's micro-gravity environment has much more to offer than just a pretty view.
Jim - 2/2/2008 4:30 PMQuoteCapt. David - 2/2/2008 4:17 PMIt Near Earth orbit and it's micro-gravity environment has much more to offer than just a pretty view. Not with using a manned vehicle
rnc - 2/2/2008 5:11 PMThe only other route is nuclear, and there is nothing coming from that direction in the next decade.
Capt. David - 2/2/2008 5:39 PMQuoteJim - 2/2/2008 4:30 PMQuoteCapt. David - 2/2/2008 4:17 PMIt Near Earth orbit and it's micro-gravity environment has much more to offer than just a pretty view. Not with using a manned vehicleThe Almaz capsule does have a history of being used as an unmanned science laboratory. For versatility, I can't think of a better design. Apparently, neither can the folks at Khrunichev. Their next generation of spacecraft is based upon this capsule's design.