ESA New inhabited vehicle program

[alanqua]

Hi everybody,

I saw in the Flight international latest issue a picture on the new ESA (European Space Agency) inhabited vehicle program. The vehicle looks a little bit like the American Orion capsule.
Does anybody have some infos (or the picture) of this project? I tried to search on Internet but found nothing.

Thanks for your help.
Alain

 

[Michel Van]

is this a new concept ?

at ESA they have:

"Crew Space Transportation System" (CSTS). Europa-Russia-Japan Study
"ISS transport vehicle" Europa-Russia study of six-man lifting body-like Kliper
(gona be a blunt biconic capsule)

"Advanced Crew Transportation System" (ACTS) but that this also CSTS (only Europa-Russia)

 

[alanqua]

Are there any pictures of these projects? I'm getting lost with all these acronyms...

Thanks, regards
Alain

 

[Michel Van]

this ACTS

this ACTS with Europa Spacemodul, Big Soyuz capsule and ATV als Servis modul

CSTS no Picture

I think that "ISS transport vehicle" would look like ESA acrv.

and ESA capsul- , lifting body- and Space glider Hermes studies from 1968 to today

 

[Michel Van]

here new data from program

after www.russianspaceweb.com
ACTS project is now to be another Apollo clone

A speculative drawing TKS on ATV

The 15-18-ton spacecraft would measure five meters in diameter and could carry crew of six, providing 2.5 cubic meters of habitable volume for each person. To reach orbit, the yet-to-be built vehicle would also need a new launcher, deriving from the Zenit rocket. Unlike its predecessor manufactured in Ukraine, the new rocket booster would be developed in Russia and fly from a future space center in Vostochny in the Russian Far East.

source
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz_acts_origin.html#2008

 

[Michel Van]

Hot News
ATV get ATV evolution

next to standart ATV for ISS
ESA want ATV the Small Payload Return capsul
a ATV with Large Cargo Return Capsul
even MTFF version of ATV Mini Space Station !

that Large Cargo Return Capsul can be made to a Manned Space craft ;D

source
http://www.esa.int/esaMI/ATV/SEMNFZOR4CF_1.html

 

[archipeppe]

Obviously this not the firs time, in the last years, that ESA come up with a manned spacecraft more or less directly derived by ATV (it seems the only logical choice ESA could really do).

We must only hope that this time is the right time....

 

[Michel Van]

your word in god ears

because from 2010 ESA need a manned spacecraft !
why ?

Shuttle program shot down after ISS is complet 2010
only Russia will make manned fly to ISS with Soyuz (3 Men) for next 4 years
means only cosmonauts and US Astronaut on main mission.

USA will made some Orion flights begin 2014 to ISS
but abandon ISS for manned Lunar and Mars Mission after 2019.
only 5 year support to ISS !

and there this rumor:
Russia will support ISS only until they launch a new space station or do Lunar manned Mission
in that case is ISS abandon a very big empty tincan in space

and i afraid ESA screw this also up like Hermes

 

[Michel Van]

the cat is out the bag ;D

Aerospace company Astrium reveal Mock-Up of a Manned Space Ship concept
on Internationalen Luft- und Raumfahrtausstellung in Berlin (ILA)

a Capsule of 3.3 meter ø on top of a ATV !
the Mock-up is very spartaninc inside but got 3 leather seats ;D

is now for ESA Minster to decide in November
if Europe gona have Manned Space Flight

source
http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltall/0,1518,556271,00.html
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/0,5538,31974,00.html

 

[Michel Van]

here more on russia version of the ACTS spacecraft

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz_acts_history.html

Picture Copyright © 2008 Anatoly Zak

 

[ouroboros]

This is all interesting, in light of the Soyuz launch facilities under construction at Kourou, French Guiana. Anything that can nominally fit onto the Soyuz stack is good to go, and man rated by default, assuming the new pad has manned spaceflight support. As opposed to trying to man rate the Ariane-5 and installing manned spaceflight facilities at its pad. If Klipper isn't a total bust, ESA can get in on that action as well.

So Russia can get into a fit all it wants, but hard cash will bring the gear from Ukraine, and ESA doesn't need anyone's permission and facilities to launch (downrange tracking notwithstanding).

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/space/files/policy/conferences_page/workshop_2_ec_esa_29_april_2010/sandrone.pdf

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/376594main_10%20-%20EADS%20Astrium_Augustine%20Commission%20Presentation_05%20AUG%2009.pdf

http://spaceflight.esa.int/strategy/pages/PDF/home/events/integrated_architecture_review/8_July/06.%20Moon-scenario-1.pdf