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DeltaFlot · 03-14-2002, 08:21 PM

Russian Co. Presents 'Space Plane'
Thu Mar 14, 2:34 PM ET
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer

ZHUKOVSKY, Russia (AP) - Eager to open up a space tourism market, a Russian aerospace company presented a mock-up Thursday of a "space plane" that would give an adventurer willing to pay nearly $100,000 the chance to experience three minutes in zero gravity on the edge of space.

About 100 people have already booked seats to fly on the Cosmopolis-XXI (C-21) suborbital plane, said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures, an Arlington, Va.-based company working with Russia's private Suborbital Corporation on the project.

Space Adventures helped the first space tourist, Dennis Tito, broker his flight last year to the International Space Station (news - web sites) atop a Russian Soyuz rocket — an eight-day trip for which Tito reportedly paid the Russian space agency $20 million.

The C-21, which planners say will be operational in three years, would offer a much briefer glimpse of the final frontier.

The craft, accommodating a pilot and two passengers, will be piggybacked on top of a carrier airplane to an altitude of 56,100 feet. Once released from the carrier, the ship's own solid-fuel rocket engine will propel it to an altitude of just over 60 miles for three minutes in weightlessness.

Then the C-21 will slide back into the atmosphere and land like a conventional plane. The entire mission from takeoff to landing will take about an hour.

The International Space Station orbits at an altitude of about 250 miles, and the space shuttles' orbits usually range from 100 to 350 miles above the Earth.

At an air base in Zhukovsky near Moscow that has served as Russia's top flight test center for decades, the C-21's designers presented their actual-size mock-up. The ship is 25 feet long with a wingspan of 18 feet, and appeared less cramped inside than the claustrophobic Russian Soyuz space capsule.

"It's quite comfortable for the crew," Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov said after posing for cameras inside the mock-up. Polyakov holds the world's record for the longest space mission — 438 days in 1994-1995.

The C-21 project's authors say their suborbital flier requires passengers to undergo only several days of training compared to many months of grueling preparation to space flights.

And despite the brief trip, they insist, it will be worth the hefty price — $98,000 per seat.

"A passenger will experience weightlessness and enjoy the view of the Earth from space," said Valery Novikov, head designer at the Myasishchev Design Bureau, the aerospace firm developing the ship on order Space Adventures and Suborbital Corporation.

"It will be a grandiose experience," he said.

The craft relies on technologies developed for the Soviet Buran space shuttle, which was designed by Myasishchev and made a flawless unmanned maiden flight in 1988 before being scrapped for lack of funds.

Space Adventures said in a statement that a recent study found the suborbital space tourist market could generate annual revenues of over $1 billion.

"After today, we'll have twice as many clients," Anderson said.

Novikov said the C-21 will use the engines of the same type as mounted on Russian ballistic missiles and have life-support and safety systems that have been extensively tested for the Buran. "We will guarantee full safety to passengers," Novikov said.

The ship will fly in an automatic mode but the pilot would be ready to take control if needed, he said.

Suborbital Corporation chief Sergei Kostenko said it would cost $10 million to build and test the C-21. The full project — at a cost of $60 million — would include two M-55 carrier aircraft and seven suborbital ships and be able to run three flights a week, according to its planners. Kostenko said the project is financed by Western investors, whom he refused to name.

Many companies in different countries have advertised plans for building a suborbital ship for space tourists, and U.S. Airways has offered clients a seat on the first suborbital spacecraft for 10,000,000 frequent flier miles. Novikov said his bureau's experience in designing Buran places it far ahead of others.

The next tourist to go into space, however, will follow Tito's footsteps. South African Internet tycoon Mark Shuttleworth, is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station in April.

03-14-2002, 08:21 PM	#1
DeltaFlot The Patriot Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Laurel, MD Age: 36 Posts: 3,228	Russian Co. Presents 'Space Plane' Russian Co. Presents 'Space Plane' Thu Mar 14, 2:34 PM ET By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer ZHUKOVSKY, Russia (AP) - Eager to open up a space tourism market, a Russian aerospace company presented a mock-up Thursday of a "space plane" that would give an adventurer willing to pay nearly $100,000 the chance to experience three minutes in zero gravity on the edge of space. About 100 people have already booked seats to fly on the Cosmopolis-XXI (C-21) suborbital plane, said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures, an Arlington, Va.-based company working with Russia's private Suborbital Corporation on the project. Space Adventures helped the first space tourist, Dennis Tito, broker his flight last year to the International Space Station (news - web sites) atop a Russian Soyuz rocket — an eight-day trip for which Tito reportedly paid the Russian space agency $20 million. The C-21, which planners say will be operational in three years, would offer a much briefer glimpse of the final frontier. The craft, accommodating a pilot and two passengers, will be piggybacked on top of a carrier airplane to an altitude of 56,100 feet. Once released from the carrier, the ship's own solid-fuel rocket engine will propel it to an altitude of just over 60 miles for three minutes in weightlessness. Then the C-21 will slide back into the atmosphere and land like a conventional plane. The entire mission from takeoff to landing will take about an hour. The International Space Station orbits at an altitude of about 250 miles, and the space shuttles' orbits usually range from 100 to 350 miles above the Earth. At an air base in Zhukovsky near Moscow that has served as Russia's top flight test center for decades, the C-21's designers presented their actual-size mock-up. The ship is 25 feet long with a wingspan of 18 feet, and appeared less cramped inside than the claustrophobic Russian Soyuz space capsule. "It's quite comfortable for the crew," Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov said after posing for cameras inside the mock-up. Polyakov holds the world's record for the longest space mission — 438 days in 1994-1995. The C-21 project's authors say their suborbital flier requires passengers to undergo only several days of training compared to many months of grueling preparation to space flights. And despite the brief trip, they insist, it will be worth the hefty price — $98,000 per seat. "A passenger will experience weightlessness and enjoy the view of the Earth from space," said Valery Novikov, head designer at the Myasishchev Design Bureau, the aerospace firm developing the ship on order Space Adventures and Suborbital Corporation. "It will be a grandiose experience," he said. The craft relies on technologies developed for the Soviet Buran space shuttle, which was designed by Myasishchev and made a flawless unmanned maiden flight in 1988 before being scrapped for lack of funds. Space Adventures said in a statement that a recent study found the suborbital space tourist market could generate annual revenues of over $1 billion. "After today, we'll have twice as many clients," Anderson said. Novikov said the C-21 will use the engines of the same type as mounted on Russian ballistic missiles and have life-support and safety systems that have been extensively tested for the Buran. "We will guarantee full safety to passengers," Novikov said. The ship will fly in an automatic mode but the pilot would be ready to take control if needed, he said. Suborbital Corporation chief Sergei Kostenko said it would cost $10 million to build and test the C-21. The full project — at a cost of $60 million — would include two M-55 carrier aircraft and seven suborbital ships and be able to run three flights a week, according to its planners. Kostenko said the project is financed by Western investors, whom he refused to name. Many companies in different countries have advertised plans for building a suborbital ship for space tourists, and U.S. Airways has offered clients a seat on the first suborbital spacecraft for 10,000,000 frequent flier miles. Novikov said his bureau's experience in designing Buran places it far ahead of others. The next tourist to go into space, however, will follow Tito's footsteps. South African Internet tycoon Mark Shuttleworth, is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station in April. __________________ Febuary 15, 1898 December 7, 1941 June 8, 1967 September 11, 2001 Never Forget, Never Forgive If you kick the Tiger in the arse, you better be able to deal with the Tiger's teeth.