Russian Kliper Spacecraft Presentation

1. Russian Kliper Spacecraft Presentation (given Nov 30 2004 in Moscow by The Energia Rocket and Space Corporation) A presentation summary with partial English translation and a look at the current overall status of the Kliper project compiled by Andy Hill

2. Launch mass - 13000 kg • crew - up to 6 people • cabin pressurized volume - 20 m3 • cargo mass: spacebound - 500 kg earthbound - 500 kg removable (?) - 200 kg • autonomous flight time - 5 days • flight time as part of orbital complex - 360 days

4. Reentry Capsule mass - 8800 kg • Acceleration during nominal reentry- 2.5G • cabin volume - 20 m3 • crew - up to 6 people

5. Capsule-like returning module Aeroplane-like returning module - landing to the pre-selected regions - side manoever up to 500 km - land landing from each orbit is possible for 80% longitude variants of orbit ascending node - parachute system is used - soft landing engines are used to compensate vertical landing speed and side speed due to winds - ensures the survival of returning module in a case of launcher failure - lands on the pre-selected airfields - side manoever up to 2000 km - landing is possible for each orbit - the survival of the returning module in a case of launcher failure ensured by reaching an airfield

6. Zenit launcher with Kliper spaceship on top.

7. Kliper Mock Up Photographs at RSC Energia

8. Kliper Mock Up External Photographs taken at RSC Energia. Kliper Summary • The Kliper space craft is the latest in a long line of spacecraft built by The Energia Rocket and space Corporation that includes every Russian manned spacecraft ever built. • The preceding presentation took place at the Energia Headquarters located in Korolyov, a suburb of Moscow. • The vehicle is designed to replace the aging Soyuz craft, which although it has had several updates (the current version is Soyuz-TM), dates back to 1966. • The 13,000kg Kliper is designed to have a 6 man crew and an increased payload capacity compared to Soyuz. Its launch cost is also expected to be cheaper than the current $30M approximate price tag for a manned launch. • Kliper will be able to either fly autonomous missions up to 5 days in duration or be able to dock with a space station and remain in orbit up to a year. Each space craft is designed to be reusable for up to a total of 25 flights.

9. Kliper Mock Up External Photographs taken at RSC Energia. Kliper Summary • The Kliper consists of 2 main parts, a 8,800kg crew capsule and an orbital module roughly one third of that size. • The crew capsule is designed to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and its lifting body design allows it to act like a glider. • The orbital module is mounted at the rear of the craft and allows docking to the ISS (see photo lower right), this is based upon tried and tested docking equipment used on Russian Salute space stations and the PIRS system employed on the ISS. This entire module is jettisoned prior to re-entry. • At present 2 landing techniques are being considered. The Kliper will either land like a conventional glider on a runway or will use a parachute descent for a soft touchdown much as Soyuz does now. It is not certain which method will be adopted • The design incorporates a ring of solid rockets that can lift the craft free of the launch pad if a pad abort becomes necessary. These rockets can also be used to give extra thrust during ascent if required.

10. Kliper Mock Up Internal Photographs taken at RSC Energia. Kliper Project Status • At present, given adequate funding, the first Kliper flight is scheduled for 2010 with the first flights to the ISS happening somewhere within the 2010-2012 time frame. • The funding of the Kliper project by the Russian government is by no means certain and Energia’s presentation was a means of raising the projects profile both within and outside Russia in a bid to gain the necessary funds. • Energia itself is a quasi-commercial organisation and has experience in dealing with other commercial companies both at home and abroad. • If Kliper is to move forward it will need to secure funding of $1bn over a 10 year period, this is approximately 10x the current spending levels of the Russian Space Agency. Currently the project is funded only for a study programme not including real hardware. • Energia may want to partner with other countries, but it is not allowed to proliferate rocket technology to just anyone so the choices are limited. • ESA have formed partnerships with other Agencies involving sums not dissimilar to this, projects such as X-37 and the ISS to name 2.

11. Kliper Launch Vehicle • Because of Kliper’s increased weight it will require a larger launch vehicle to be boosted into orbit. • The current rocket of choice for Kliper is the Zenit booster manufactured in the Ukraine but a final decision has not, as yet, been made. However this is not without problems, the Russian and Ukraine governments have had a stormy relationship since the break up of the former Soviet Union and political cooperating is by no means certain over the entire lifetime of the project. • There are 2 alternative booster designs within Russia itself that could be used but both are untested and would require considerable investment before they could fly. Not a likely scenario given the Russian problems of financing the rest of their space industry. • Instead of using a booster from within the former soviet block Energia may decide to opt for a foreign booster to launch Kliper. With the US concentrating on its own CEV, a likely candidate could be ESA’s new Ariane 5 ES, used to launch the agency’s ATV to the ISS. This is not as far fetched as it seems given the cooperation between ESA and Energia. In 2007 the first Soyuz will be launching from French Guiana and there will be strong ties between ESA and the Russian Space programme. Arianne 5 Launch.