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Russian space corporation unveils planned “Amur” rocket—and it looks familiar
Musk: “It’s a step in the right direction, but they should really aim for full reusability.”
Link: https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/10/russian-space-corporation-unveils-planned-amur-rocket-and-it-looks-familiar/
On Wednesday Russia's state space corporation, Roscosmos, unveiled plans to develop a new "Amur" rocket.
The booster will be powered by new and as yet undeveloped rocket engines that burn methane. Just as significantly, for the first time, Russia is seeking to build a reusable first stage. And Roscosmos is targeting a low price of just $22 million for a launch on Amur, which is advertised as being capable of delivering 10.5 tons to low-Earth orbit.
"We would like our rocket to be reliable, like a Kalashnikov assault rifle," said Alexander Bloshenko, executive director of Roscosmos for Advanced Programs and Science.
What is perhaps most striking about the Amur rocket design, however, is how much it resembles a smaller version of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which can lift about twice as much payload into orbit.
Moreover, even under Roscosmos' most optimistic timeframe, Amur would not be ready to fly until 2026.
Commenting on the Amur rocket on Twitter, SpaceX founder Elon Musk said, "It’s a step in the right direction, but they should really aim for full reusability by 2026. Larger rocket would also make sense for literal economies of scale. Goal should be to minimize cost per useful ton to orbit or it will at best serve a niche market."
NASA is testing the first of its new moonwalking spacesuits
Link: https://www.space.com/nasa-artemis-spacesuits-tech-underwater-photos
What will astronauts wear on the big day when they step foot on the moon as the first humans to do so in more than 50 years?
A brand-new spacesuit, of course, and one that NASA is hard at work developing. Called the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU), the spacesuit needs to protect astronauts from the harsh environment of the lunar surface, which is quite different from that astronauts have been exploring for the past few decades in low Earth orbit.
"The xEMU represents the first new spacesuit that NASA has developed in over 40 years," George Nield, who was previously the associate administrator for commercial space transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration, said on Oct. 1 during a webcast quarterly meeting of NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, on which he now sits.. "So far, it looks like things are pretty much on schedule."
Nield outlined the agency's plan to build five xEMU suits in the initial batch. One, which NASA engineers will subject to design verification tests, is almost done and should be completed in December, he said. A second will be built for qualification testing and a third will be tested in orbit on the International Space Station. The final two suits of the set will walk on the moon in 2024 on a mission NASA is calling Artemis 3.
SpaceX’s Mars-Colonizing Starship Is Ready for Its First Huge Test
Link: https://observer.com/2020/10/spacex-starship-prototype-sn8-prepares-test-mars-colonizing/
The newest prototype of SpaceX’s moon-landing and Mars-colonizing spaceship, Starship, is expected to undergo its first high-altitude test flight this month. The giant spacecraft’s development site in Boca Chica, Texas has been extremely busy over the past few weeks with preparation for the big test.
Starship is SpaceX’s ultimate rocket designed for future interplanetary trips. Two previous prototypes, Starship SN5 and SN6, successfully performed 500-foot-high (150 meters) hops in a test flight last month. The latest prototype, SN8, aims to fly up to 50,000 feet (9.3 mile) above sea level, paving the way for SpaceX’s next target to reach Earth’s orbit....
