Grey Havoc

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http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-space-delays-idUSKBN1590Y6

Russia's space agency said on Wednesday it had ordered extra checks to be made on its Proton-M rockets, meaning it might be forced to delay some satellite launches this year.

Roscosmos, the Russian equivalent of NASA, made the announcement after the Kommersant daily reported that manufacturing problems had been detected in some Proton-M rockets and that some launches were likely to be delayed by several months "in a best case scenario."

European, U.S. and Asian firms rely heavily on Russia to launch their commercial satellites, and a Roscosmos source told Kommersant that Moscow planned to launch 27 rockets this year, eight of which were Proton-Ms.

"Additional tests (on the Proton-M) are being carried out. That explains the possible delay in launches," said a spokesman for Roscosmos, without providing details. Igor Burenkov, a spokesman for the corporation, said it would become clear after the tests if there would definitely be delays and for how long.

Kommersant reported that the problem was linked to components used in the rockets' engines and concerns that some of them were not sufficiently heat-resistant.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the problems, saying Roscosmos did suffer some setbacks, but that it also had great success in many areas.

An unmanned Russian cargo ship loaded with supplies for the International Space Station broke apart about six minutes after lift off in December. It was carried by a Soyuz rocket.


(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov/Denis Pinchuk; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
 
...but that it also had great success in many areas.

Oh please.

Proton-M; Grounded.
Soyuz-U; Grounded. (only one remaining)
Soyuz-2.1a; Grounded.
Soyuz-2.1b; Since it was launched from French Guiana yesterday, i assume Roscosmos has not grounded it. Does not use RD-0110 engines like U and 2.1a.
Zenit; Effectively grounded for now due to relationship with Ukraine.
Dnepr; Same as above.

It wouldnt shock me if SpaceX alone will launch more this year than Russia this year. And to think that not too many years ago they launched as much as Europe and USA combined. The situation at Roscosmos is absolutely terrible, but it was all of their own making and complacence.

Few days before Progress failed on the way to ISS, Rogozin, the thick walking talking head stated following;

Российская космонавтика, вырвавшись из этой пелены поражений, обидных аварий и катастроф, стабилизировав вопросы качества, сделала качественный рывок дальше в создании новейших технологий", — сказал он на церемонии награждения победителей и финалистов открытого конкурса по перспективной космической технике.

The Russian space program, have escaped from this shroud of defeats, hurtful accidents and disasters, having stabilized quality issues, has made a qualitative leap in the further creation of new technologies ", - he said at the award ceremony of the winners and finalists of the open competition on advanced space technology.

Nice timing there.
 
Metal thieves halt Russian space rocket program

Russia
Tom Parfitt Moscow

Russia has been forced to delay the launches of Proton space rockets after it was discovered that workers building their engines were using cheap materials that could cause an accident.

The Proton is a "heavy launch lift vehicle" used to deliver military and commercial satellites to low orbit.

Dmitry Rogozin, the deputy prime minister in charge of the space industry, said workers at the Voronezh mechanical plant in central Russia had deliberately replaced alloys made from precious metals with less heat-resistant ones. "They knew perfectly what their actions could have resulted in - accidents and maybe even death" he said, demanding "the toughest possible" investigation.

Mr Rogozin said all Proton-M rockets were being grounded for three-and-a-half months because of the defects, which were discovered during tests.

About 300 grams of an alloy for soldering which contains precious metals had gone missing, according to Russian media reports. It was unclear whether it had been sold or used for another purpose. Officers from the Federal Security Service, the Investigative Committee and prosecutors have been dispatched to the factory to find out how the faulty engines were approved.

"All those guilty for switching the technology and the documentation will be harshly punished," Mr Rogozin promised. "Three Proton-Ms will be disassembled. Second and third stage engines will be replaced."

It is the latest scandal to hit Russia's space industry after years of construction setbacks and allegations of corruption at the new Vostochny cosmodrome in the far east of the country, which President Putin opened last year.

Dozens of engines made in Voronezh, some of them already delivered to the Baikonur cosmodrome which Russia currently uses in Kazakhstan, will be returned to the factory.

A Soyuz rocket with an engine from the Voronezh factory crashed in December after blasting off to deliver a Progress cargo craft to the International Space Station. Mr Rogozin said that accident was not connected to the switching of alloys.



The Times, Wednesday February 1st 2017
 

"At the Android Technology NGO, they said that the android will be made smaller, lighter and "visually nicer" than the Fedor robot

MOSCOW, January 15. / TASS /. The android robot of the Tester project, which will control the promising Russian spacecraft Orel, will be made smaller, lighter and visually nicer than the Fedora robot flying to the International Space Station. This was reported by TASS in the press service of the NGO Android Technology.

“Outwardly, it will look like a person. It will definitely be smaller and lighter than FEDOR. Visually it will be more pleasant: a more streamlined design and more plastic elements (which can bend during movements - approx. TASS),” the company noted, responding to the corresponding question. The press service did not exclude that the Test robot could be covered with fabric protection.

In the "Android technology" specified that another feature of the new android will be a more functional capture. The robot "Fedor" captures are made in the form of five-fingered hands, repeating human.

According to the developers, the final appearance of the robot will be determined after signing the contract with Roscosmos. "If this happens before the end of the quarter, then the appearance will be determined by the end of 2020, and ground tests will begin in 2022," the press service of Android Technology explained.

Earlier, Evgeny Dudorov, executive director of the Android Technology NGO, told TASS that during the first two flights, the Orel ship would be controlled by the Test Project robot. In turn, the executive director of Roscosmos for promising programs and science, Alexander Bloshenko, in an interview with TASS, noted that the android "will click on the buttons," that is, mechanically interact with the ship's controls.

The first launch of Orla without astronauts on board is planned for 2023 from Vostochny Cosmodrome; the docking of the ship during this flight with the International Space Station is not provided. In 2024, also without astronauts, the Eagle will perform a second flight, followed by docking with the ISS. Manned spacecraft flights will begin in 2025."


Not to make a sexist statement but I am tired about hearing all female space walks on the ISS, lets try robots instead.
 
"Danger Will Robinson, Danger, Danger!"

They were First again in this...
PB_88174.jpg

From "Planeta Bur" aka "Planet of Storms" from 1962
 

"At the Android Technology NGO, they said that the android will be made smaller, lighter and "visually nicer" than the Fedor robot

MOSCOW, January 15. / TASS /. The android robot of the Tester project, which will control the promising Russian spacecraft Orel, will be made smaller, lighter and visually nicer than the Fedora robot flying to the International Space Station. This was reported by TASS in the press service of the NGO Android Technology.

“Outwardly, it will look like a person. It will definitely be smaller and lighter than FEDOR. Visually it will be more pleasant: a more streamlined design and more plastic elements (which can bend during movements - approx. TASS),” the company noted, responding to the corresponding question. The press service did not exclude that the Test robot could be covered with fabric protection.

In the "Android technology" specified that another feature of the new android will be a more functional capture. The robot "Fedor" captures are made in the form of five-fingered hands, repeating human.

According to the developers, the final appearance of the robot will be determined after signing the contract with Roscosmos. "If this happens before the end of the quarter, then the appearance will be determined by the end of 2020, and ground tests will begin in 2022," the press service of Android Technology explained.

Earlier, Evgeny Dudorov, executive director of the Android Technology NGO, told TASS that during the first two flights, the Orel ship would be controlled by the Test Project robot. In turn, the executive director of Roscosmos for promising programs and science, Alexander Bloshenko, in an interview with TASS, noted that the android "will click on the buttons," that is, mechanically interact with the ship's controls.

The first launch of Orla without astronauts on board is planned for 2023 from Vostochny Cosmodrome; the docking of the ship during this flight with the International Space Station is not provided. In 2024, also without astronauts, the Eagle will perform a second flight, followed by docking with the ISS. Manned spacecraft flights will begin in 2025."


Not to make a sexist statement but I am tired about hearing all female space walks on the ISS, lets try robots instead.
Not to make a sexist statement he says, and then promptly makes one.:rolleyes:
 
While Soyuz-2 launch and docking of Soyuz MS-16 is success.
is the PTK Orel ("eagle') program again in difficulty and delays.

This time the Entire Landings system will be modified
mean more mass, bigger parachutes, it's container inside Capsule
This will delay considerably the construction and Testing of PTK Orel for years...

Next to that they switch from Soyuz-5 to Angara-5P rocket to launch Orel
what make sense since Soyuz-5 is not yet build
but Angara-5 test flight 2 got delay since 4 years...
how far work goes for Angara-5P the manned rated version is unclear.
for the moment works for Angara launch complex in Vostochny goes on...

Source:
 
The difficulties that lie ahead are not as great as those we have already overcome.

Rest In Peace.
 
Tass gave this news about follow up of ISS


translation in english
 

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