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4/5/09

BBC NEWS: Russia to unveil spaceship plans - by Anatoly Zak

For the complete report from the BBC NEWS click on this link

Russia to unveil spaceship plans - by Anatoly Zak

The Russian space agency is expected to unveil development plans for a next-generation manned spacecraft tomorrow,April 6.The proposed new spacecraft should enter into service sometime towards the end of the next decade. It will replace the venerable three-seat Soyuz capsule, which has carried Russian cosmonauts into orbit for more than four decades. The Earth-orbiting version of the ship would have a mass of 12 tonnes, carry a crew of six, along with no less than 500kg of cargo; while its "lunar cousin" would weigh 16.5 tonnes, have four seats and be capable of delivering and bringing back 100kg of cargo.In recent years, Russia and Europe did look at the possibility of developing the next-generation vehicle together, but the two parties could not agree on the work share. Europe will now separately pursue the possibility of upgrading its robotic ATV space freighter to a manned ship, but still using some Russian technology.

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