More Space News From Russia

By Nancy Atkinson - April 14, 2008 at 2:16 PM UTC | Space Exploration
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When it rains space news from Russia, it pours. Not only did the news break today about the Russian Space Agency’s plans to

send monkeys to Mars

, but also, Russia wants to build an Earth-orbiting factory to build large, interplanetary ships that might be too large to launch from Earth. Additionally, Roscosmos, the Russian space agency said that beginning in 2010, they will likely terminate ferrying space tourists to the International Space Station.

According to the head of Roscosmos Anatoly Perminov, the space agency proposed building a manned assembly complex in Earth orbit and the Russian Security Council supported the idea in an April 11, 2008 meeting. No word on exactly when an orbiting spaceship assembly line would be constructed, but Perminov said it likely wouldn’t be built until after the ISS is completed, which they said would be about 2020. Also, no word if the interplanetary ships will be built for humans or monkeys.

As far as curtailing the program that brings space tourists to the ISS, the Perminov said the increase in crew size on the ISS from the current three members to six in 2009, and then the proposed retirement of the space shuttle in 2010, will put “growing pressure†on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft that carries crews and supplies to the space station. Perminov said they will no longer accept proposals from space tourists, adding that space tourism shouldn't interfere with scientific research. Roscosmos teamed up with the company Space Adventures beginning in 2001 to bring tourists to the ISS, which seemed to be a fairly lucrative program for the cash-strapped Russian space agency. Existing contracts to bring tourists to the station will be fulfilled, Perminov said.

Dennis Tito became the first space tourist in 2001 when he paid $20 million to ride the Soyuz for a week-long stay on the ISS. The next (and sixth) tourist will be game developer Richard Garriott, scheduled for a Soyuz flight in October 2008.

Original News Source:

Lenta Ru (translated)

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com