Excalibur Almaz

[SIM city]

It appears that these guys are investing in the Sea Launch ships, with Art Dula's address referenced in the bankruptcy filings and as posted by McDew here: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=17586.msg501977#msg501977

Does this mean that they're going to launch these capsules on a Zenit or refurb the platform for another vehicle?

[Danderman]

New images of the redesigned capsules are here:

http://excaliburalmaz.com/SP1/pdf/Almaz-Crew-Module.zip

[Swatch]

Looks like a surplus capsule that's been 'creatively refurbished'.

Slap some paint on 40 yr old hardware, throw some fake MFD panels over old switch boards and you have a 'new' capsule.

[Robotbeat]

Swatch, of course it's a surplus capsule (that they are refurbishing, perhaps modifying a few things). That's the whole point, isn't it?

I do wonder how the LCDs would respond to a rapid decompression... I doubt, though, that they perform a critical function without a simpler backup of some sort.

[docmordrid]

If the LCD is aerospace grade/milspec they are hardened to survive such things. Lots of sources.  Also: who says it's an LCD?  Could be an OLED which is just a plastic sheet with conducting and semiconducting dyes printed on it with protective layers on both sides. Sony  is selling TV's using this tech so....

[Robotbeat]

If the LCD is aerospace grade/milspec they are hardened to survive such things. Lots of sources.  Also: who says it's an LCD?  Could be an OLED which is just a plastic sheet with conducting and semiconducting dyes printed on it with protective layers on both sides. Sony  is selling TV's using this tech so....

Gotcha.

However, I still doubt the screen is a critical component, since designing a critical component means real-time, embedded operating systems and redundant avionics buses (or the new-fangled ethernet-based bus) and lots of testing. Just having a read-out of the status of various sensors, etc. could be a lot easier. Just install Labview on a (ruggedized) tablet PC with a USB input, and you've got it made in about a weekend. EDIT: or even cheaper with an expanded Arduino microcontroller clone...

[Namechange User]

I wonder why they have "curtains" in the module......

[Ben the Space Brit]

I wonder why they have "curtains" in the module......

I don't think that they're curtains.  They're probably a fabric accoustic and thermal insulation layer on the inner surface of the vehicle.

Oh, and those colour display screens are definately mock-ups.

[HMXHMX]

I wonder why they have "curtains" in the module......

Everyone uses this technique in mock-ups to cover up things that look "raw" or unfinished, or are old and decrepit.  See Bigelow mock-up below, for example.  Or the Andrews CEV mock-up done for NASA.[img][img]

[Namechange User]

I wonder why they have "curtains" in the module......

I don't think that they're curtains.  They're probably a fabric accoustic and thermal insulation layer on the inner surface of the vehicle.

It was meant to be a joke....but I believe your explanation is a bit too technical for the real reason.

[Comga]

(snip)
Oh, and those colour display screens are definitely mock-ups.

Why do you say that they are mock-ups and what do you mean by that?  There are two images in the zipped folder that show the display panels and the displayed graphics are not the same.  This could be faked, but it could just as easily be active display panels.  Whether or not they are flight quality panels can't be determined from photos.

If you fully enlarge some of the exterior shots you can see how the capsule has some pretty ratty edges FWIW.

[simonbp]

@Comga, because vacuform plastic is generally not regarded as space-qualified.

But of course it's a mock-up; the audience is not online space nerds, but potential investors. Once (if) they get investor money, then they'll spend it on the real MFDs...

[Danderman]

Okay, here's a question: what would the Excalibur Almaz use for ground stations? I would imagine that its not going to have TDRSS access, so that forces the passenger vehicle to rely on ground stations for any communications. I don't think that just one ground station would be sufficient, unless the orbit is directly over the Equator.

So ..... what's the plan for comm?

[Jim]

Okay, here's a question: what would the Excalibur Almaz use for ground stations? I would imagine that its not going to have TDRSS access, so that forces the passenger vehicle to rely on ground stations for any communications.

Lookup USN.  Also there are many independent site around the globe.  Three of them are listed as "Augmented stations" on this site.

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMWPDSMTWE_0.html

Here is another

http://www.csir.co.za/SAC/

[Danderman]

Okay, here's a question: what would the Excalibur Almaz use for ground stations? I would imagine that its not going to have TDRSS access, so that forces the passenger vehicle to rely on ground stations for any communications.

Lookup USN.  Also there are many independent site around the globe.  Three of them are listed as "Augmented stations" on this site.

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMWPDSMTWE_0.html

Here is another

http://www.csir.co.za/SAC/

If EA should go the route of completely gutting the capsules and replacing all Russian avionics gear, yes, going to a "universal" S-Band communications system would be the way to go, due to the plethora of ground stations these days. On the other hand, if they simply replace the existing VA systems with the current versions of the Russian hardware, then their comm would be incompatible with commercial S-band ground stations.

[simonbp]

Considering they're already gutting the instruments and avionics for modern components, replacing the comm gear is only to be expected. As long as they can get antennas with the same exterior profile, there shouldn't be an issue.

Really, EA bought the VAs and Almaz because they represent the two things you can't get otherwise in the marketplace (reentry vehicles and a pressurized hull). Expect everything else to be bought from modern suppliers who can support their products well into the future.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

A quick Google came up with this PowerPoint presentation:

http://astronautical.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=26&Itemid=56&PHPSESSID=929650c573cb2afe64d271ced4c1497d

Regretably this link no longer works. The closest I could find is http://web.archive.org/web/20060426193954/http://www.astronautical.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=22&Itemid=56 but tantalizingly the presentation itself isn't stored

I've contacted the AAS and Excalibur Almaz but both say the presentation is no longer available. Can anyone here help? Many thanks.

[Zond]

A quick Google came up with this PowerPoint presentation:

http://astronautical.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=26&Itemid=56&PHPSESSID=929650c573cb2afe64d271ced4c1497d

Regretably this link no longer works. The closest I could find is http://web.archive.org/web/20060426193954/http://www.astronautical.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=22&Itemid=56 but tantalizingly the presentation itself isn't stored

I've contacted the AAS and Excalibur Almaz but both say the presentation is no longer available. Can anyone here help? Many thanks.

See attachement.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Brilliant! Thank you.

[Danderman]

The EA website seems to be pretty quiet since its September 09 big splash, no updates, no nothing. What's up with that?