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Russian Space Company Chief Extols New Orbit Vehicle

Posted on: Monday, 17 May 2004, 06:00 CDT

Excerpt from report by Russian news agency RIA

Moscow, 17 May: The head of the [Russian] Federal Space Agency, Anatoliy Perminov, has given his backing to an autonomous space tug designed by the Russian-Ukrainian space company Kosmotras to place satellites into far orbits, including for the Moon and Mars. This was reported to RIA-Novosti today by Kosmotras general director Vladimir Andreyev as he discussed the results of the ILA-2004 international aerospace fair, held in a Berlin suburb.

"I briefed Perminov on our new development and received a positive response," he said. The tug is intended to operate as part of Russia's Dnepr booster rocket, converted from the SS-18 "Satan" intercontinental ballistic missile which was taken out of service under international offensive arms reduction treaties.

After separating from the Dnepr, the tug can autonomously carry satellites and small space vehicles into various orbits. "This is a radically new departure for Kosmotras and is based on tried and tested technologies," Andreyev commented.

An upgrade to the Dnepr's nose section will enable it to place heavy and considerably more powerful space vehicles into orbit, he said. "The programme to expand the payload area entails enlarging the booster rocket's upper section. But the nose fairing, under which satellites are mounted, will still be the original military version which has successfully undergone over 160 launches," he said. "So we are not adding any unknown quantities to a missile that has proven itself over years of military service, and this will boost customer confidence." [Passage omitted]

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