Russian National Orbital Service Station (ROSS)

International Space Station (ISS)

Main article: International Space Station (ISS)

Cosmonautics of Russia and the USSR

Main article: Cosmonautics of Russia and the USSR

History

2023

How the project of the Russian Orbital Station is being implemented and how much money will be spent on it

At the end of October 2023, it became known that the Russian Orbital Station (ROS) will be deployed in two stages. The first should begin in the region of 2027-2028, when the scientific and energy module (NEM) will fly. Then a nodal module and a gateway camera will be sent to it, then a basic module, which will be the main one for the life of astronauts. The first module will only allow you to temporarily be there, you will not be able to live there. And in the 2030s, the second stage of the station was deployed, these are two more large modules.

Alexander Khokhlov, a member of the St. Petersburg organization of the Russian Cosmonautics Federation, told Kommersant about this. According to him, by the end of October 2023, there is no talk of allocating the full amount.

The Russian orbital station (ROS) will be deployed in two stages

Funding for the Russian orbital station has not yet been allocated. Now the draft project is just being completed and funds are planned for one module - the Scientific and Energy, which was planned to be created for the ISS, but in the end they decided that it would represent the first ROS module. So there is no money for this station yet, but they are in the current federal space program at the NEM, "he said.

The creation of the Russian orbital station until 2032 is estimated at about 609 billion rubles. At the end of October 2023, the head of Roscosmos, Iouri Borisov, commenting on these expenses, noted the following:

This amount, although it is very large, but a little less than half will be spent on creating the group itself. Huge funds will be required in the development of ground space infrastructure, the preparation of the Vostochny cosmodrome, the preparation of rocket carriers is a comprehensive work.

On November 7, 2023, General Designer - Deputy General Director of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Solovyov said that the project of a promising Russian orbital station implies its operation in orbit for up to 50 years to work out long interplanetary flights. According to him, the specified period is laid in order to work out long interplanetary flights on the following spacecraft.

Solovyov added that the lunar ship should be based on a reliable transport system, and the Martian ship, in turn, should be a modular station, which, in terms of reliability and operability, should be worked out in advance in Earth orbit.^[1]

Roscosmos: Money for the Russian orbital station allocated

At a meeting on the development of the space industry, President Vladimir Putin, which took place on October 26, 2023, was instructed to approve the project for the creation of the Russian Orbital Station (ROS), Iouri Borisov, general director of Roscosmos, told reporters. According to him, funding has been allocated, the main indicators of the project have been determined.

We are very pleased that today at this meeting after such a heated discussion - because we were reasonably criticized, everyone is worried about the effectiveness of this event, this also had to be thought about - but the decision was unequivocal. It was confirmed, in fact, that an order was given to approve the federal project for a manned program, and, in fact, to create a Russian orbital station, "he said (quoted by Interfax).

Orbital station layout

According to Borisov, work on the creation of a Russian orbital station, which is planned until 2032, is estimated at 609 billion rubles. About 150 billion rubles are planned to be spent on the project in 2024-2026.

The head of Roscosmos called the continuation of the Russian manned program an urgent problem. He suggested that the life of the International Space Station (ISS) will end by 2030. The assumption that the station would "fall apart" by that time, if not invest a lot of money in repairs, was also made by the former head of the state corporation Dmitry Rogozin. NASA in its report of January 2022 also said that the ISS will be operated until 2030.

That is, the ISS will no longer be, but the Russian station will not yet be. Therefore, it is necessary to synchronize all this and no later than 2024 to start [working] on this difficult, resource-intensive, expensive project, "Yuri Borisov emphasized.[2]

Draft design of the Russian orbital station is ready

Rocket and Space Corporation (SRC) Energia sent a draft design of the promising Russian Orbital Station (ROS) for examination to the parent research organization (GNIO) of Roscosmos. At the end of July 2023, General Roscosmos Iouri Borisov told about this.

According to him, in August 2023, the draft design will have to go through protection. It is assumed that the first module of the station, scientific and energy (NEM), will go into orbit at the end of 2027, the remaining modules will be delivered and docked to the NEM from 2028 to 2030. Roscosmos plans to create ROS before the decommissioning of the International Space Station (scheduled for 2028-2030), in which, in addition to Russia, the United States, the European Space Agency, Canada and Japan participate.

ROS layout

Iouri Borisov in April 2023 said that the new orbit and radiation situation will allow "to deepen and master the technologies that are necessary for the implementation of the lunar program."

This is one of the advantages of a new orbit and a new orbital construction of the future Russian orbital station, - emphasized the head of Roscosmos.

Part of the Russian National Orbital Service Station

In July 2024, he said that Russia invites the BRICS countries to take part in the project of the promising Russian orbital station, jointly creating a separate specialized module for it.

A full-fledged module, which, being part of the ROS, would allow the BRICS countries to use the capabilities of low Earth orbit to implement their national space programs, Borisov clarified, adding that ROS will be the next step in the development of manned cosmonautics.

Part of the Russian National Orbital Service Station

Earlier, Borisov said that the Russian Federation offers African countries participation in the ROS project and the creation of national modules for this station, and clarified that Russia is open to cooperation in the creation of a new station not only with countries. Africa

"Almost eternal": The designer told what the Russian orbital station will be

In February 2023, Vladimir Kozhevnikov, Deputy General Designer of RSC Energia, Chief Designer of the Russian Orbital Station (ROS), shared some information about the project, including talking about the timing of its implementation.

The station will indeed be practically "eternal." The proposed project provides for the possibility of replacing spent modules. This will allow not only to maintain its performance, but also to ensure the maintenance of the technical and technological equipment of the station at the modern level, - he said in an interview with TASS.

Rocket and Space Corporation "Energy"

According to Kozhevnikov, the timing of the deployment of ROS will be determined based on the results of the preliminary design of the station, which should be completed in 2023. The launch of the first - the scientific and energy module (NEM) - is planned for the end of 2027, the node, gateway, base and target modules - for the period 2028-2030.

The first module will be launched into the ROS orbit on the Russian Angara-5M - this is the first heavy launch vehicle developed in Russia after the collapse of the USSR. Crews will be delivered from the Vostochny cosmodrome.

It is also known that the Russian orbital station will receive a kind of "multilayer armor" and will be protected from particles up to 1 cm in size flying at speeds up to 10 km/s.

Like the ISS, the Russian station will have the ability to perform maneuvers to evade large space debris, which will be performed both using its own engines and the engines of docked ships. To facilitate the work of astronauts at ROS, robots, virtual and augmented reality will be used.

The launch of crews at ROS will be carried out with the help of a promising transport ship from the Vostochny cosmodrome as part of the strategy "new station - new ship - new cosmodrome." The spacecraft launch route to ROS will pass over Siberia, the Extreme North, including the Arctic Ocean, says Vladimir Kozhevnikov.

He also said that by mid-February 2023 it is too early to talk about the costs of ROS, since the project is at the stage of preliminary design. But in any case, these costs are much less than for the creation and operation of the ISS, Kozhevnikov added.^[3]

2022

Roscosmos showed an approximate appearance of the orbital station

At the end of July 2022, Roscosmos showed an approximate appearance of the orbital station, which the Russian Federation plans to build after leaving the project of the International Space Station (ISS). The pictures are published in the official Telegram channel of the state corporation.

Judging by the information posted on them, the first stage of deployment involves the derivation of the basic, scientific and energy, node and gateway modules. By this time, two crew members will be able to stay at the station.

Diagram of the Russian orbital station

The second stage of deployment involves the removal of target and production modules, as well as a service platform. After that, the crew can be increased to four people.

At a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Roscosmos Director General Iouri Borisov announced plans for Russia to withdraw from the ISS project after 2024 and the beginning of the formation of the Russian Orbital Station.

Diagram of the Russian orbital station

At the end of July 2022, the flight director of the Russian segment of the International Space Station, Vladimir Solovyov, in an interview with the Russian Space magazine, said that the construction of the new ROSS orbital station (Russian Orbital Service Station), which will replace the ISS, will begin no earlier than 2028. By this time, the first stage should begin, involving the launch of the Angara-A5M launch vehicle of the scientific and energy module. This module will need to be "retrofitted with various systems, including a block of gyrodines, in order to be able to use it for several years as the main module." To it, on the Angara-A5M rocket from the Vostochny cosmodrome, nodal and gateway modules will be launched in one bundle. Astronauts from Baikonur will be able to fly to the nodal module in 2028.

After docking in 2028, the nodal module can be sent from Baikonur by the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle on a Soyuz-type ship, the first crew. He will be able to re-preserve the station and already begin the first studies and experiment, - said the flight leader of the Russian segment of the ISS.[4].

Rogozin presented a sketch of a new Russian orbital station

In early July 2022, the general director of Roscosmos published pictures that, according to him, show what the Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) will look like. According to Rogozin, the images show ROSS with new manned ships "parked" towards her.

Rogozin presented a sketch of a new Russian orbital station

To move ROSS or its individual modules to other high orbits, including, as an option, the lunar one, the interplanetary nuclear tug Zeus will be used, work on which is underway at our enterprises (KB,;,), Arsenal St. Petersburg Keldysh Center Moscow as well as at the enterprises of the state corporation, "- Rosatom wrote the head of Roscosmos in his Telegram channel.

Rogozin presented a sketch of a new Russian orbital station

The station will consist of research, energy, target and production modules, as well as a spacecraft maintenance platform. Subsequently, other blocks of different purposes may be added. For ROSS, it is planned to use a proven manned system consisting of two ships (Progress and Soyuz). At the same time, new promising ships will be developed.

Rogozin presented a sketch of a new Russian orbital station

Dmitry Rogozin said that the station should be almost automatic. The crew should visit ROSS only to maintain the target equipment, he explained.

The geopolitical situation imposes on us the responsibility of deploying the entire ground-based space infrastructure to service the station exclusively in Russia and launch from the Vostochny cosmodrome, the head of Roscosmos also said.

In March 2022, Dmitry Rogozin said that in the event of a "hostile geopolitical situation," ROSS would change its appointment to military-applied. Then he noted that Russia in any case needs to create a national station, since it will be cheaper than to operate the International Space Station (ISS).^[5]

Russia began to create a draft design of its own orbital station for 2.7 billion rubles

As it became known in early May 2022 Russia , she began to create a draft design of her own orbital station for 2.7 billion. rubles The corresponding contract "" Roskosmos was concluded Rocket and Space Corporation (SRC) Energia with the name of S.P. Korolev.

As Kommersant writes with reference to the materials of the relevant tender, information on which is published on the public procurement portal, the contract was signed as part of development work on the topic: "Creation of the space complex of the Russian orbital station." It was concluded on April 22, the deadline is April 12, 2024.

Roscosmos signed a contract with the Rocket and Space Corporation (SRC) Energia to develop a draft design for the Russian Orbital Service Station

As explained in Roscosmos, the preliminary design of the Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) will be carried out in two stages.

• the first provides for the analysis of the deployment and inclination scenarios of the target orbit, the calculation of the cost of delivering 1 kg of cargo to the station, the deployment of the initial configuration of the station and the transition of spacecraft from the ROSS orbit to the lunar orbit.
• the second stage includes the development of a draft design and technical assignments for the station options, as well as consideration of the possibilities of providing the station with communication, issues of training crews, functioning in unmanned and manned modes.

According to the terms of reference , the purpose of the contract is to create a draft design of the space complex (CC) ROSS with justification of the main characteristics and tasks, technical and technological solutions for the creation of the CC ROSS, determination of the composition of the CC, including the appearance of the ROSS, as well as a comparative analysis of the options for deploying the station at various orbital inclinations, complex (theoretical and experimental) justification of characteristics, technical and technological solutions of ROSS QC, its components, systems, units (devices), including borrowed, non-standardized measuring and monitoring tools, training facilities and other products of the complex, substantiation of technical and economic indicators of ROSS QC and its components.^[6]

2021: Putin approved the creation of an alternative to the ISS

In April 2021, President Vladimir Putin, during a closed meeting on the development of the space industry, approved the creation of an alternative to the International Space Station (ISS). The project was named the Russian National Orbital Service Station (ROSS).

As Moskovsky Komsomolets writes on April 12, 2021, the construction of ROSS should begin in the near future in order to prevent a large temporary gap between the conservation of the Russian segment on the ISS and the appearance of a new working area in orbit. The estimated date of conservation of the old segment of the ISS is 2025.

Putin approved the creation of an alternative to the ISS, the project was called the Russian National Orbital Service Station (ROSS)

ROSS will have to consist of 3-7 modules, and from 2 to 4 people can be on it. Astronauts will work in rotational mode - to reduce the consumption and radiation load on the crew. Among the tasks of the station are remote sensing, research and experiments, communication and navigation, detection of man-made disasters, the implementation of educational projects in the interests of universities, geological exploration, forestry monitoring and space tourism.

Earlier, Roscosmos proposed to abandon the ISS due to the high cost. The state corporation calculated that after 2025 an avalanche-like failure of the ISS systems will begin, as a result of which further maintenance of the station will cost 10-15 billion rubles.

Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said on April 13, 2021 that the issue of the advisability of continuing Russia's participation in the International Space Station project was discussed the day before at a meeting on space with Vladimir Putin.

{{quote 'Indeed, it was said at the meeting that the ISS and our domestic segment are not eternal. The design gets tired over time, and sooner or later it will be necessary to make a final decision. The expediency of continuing this work, the study of this issue was really emphasized yesterday during the meeting, - said the Kremlin spokesman^[7]

2020

The new space station of the Russian Federation can receive artificial gravity

The project to create artificial gravity on the new Russian space station was approved by the technical council of the Military-Industrial Commission, Oleg Orlov, director of the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told reporters in December 2020^[8].

"This is the project of RSC Energia, which she worked to a certain level as her innovative project. The very sketch of the solution of this module with a centrifuge inside we worked with them together, and (he - IF) was discussed at different levels, "Orlov said.

Orlov added that there is a positive decision of the technical council of the Military-Industrial Commission in the need to create a module with a centrifuge.

Earlier, the first deputy general director of the Rocket and Space Corporation (SRC) Energia, Vladimir Solovyov, at a meeting of the Space Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation, said that SRC specialists predict an "avalanche-like failure of numerous elements on board the ISS" after 2025. According to him, at the moment "there are a number of elements that are seriously affected by damage and are retiring." "Many of them cannot be replaced," Solovyov noted.

"According to RSC Energia, the spending on further financing, which is estimated at 10-15 billion rubles, is too large. It is necessary to revise the timing of further participation in the program and focus on the implementation of orbital station programs, "- top manager of the corporation.

The new Russian orbital station should become larger than the "World"

The new Russian national orbital station, which is proposed to be created by the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation (part of Roscosmos), should be larger in its internal volume after the completion of construction than the Mir station and the Russian segment of the ISS, follows from the materials of the RSC Energia available to RIA Novosti^[9]

According to the materials in which the concept of the creation of the new station is presented, its construction is envisaged in two stages. At the first stage, in 2025-2026, it is planned to build a station with a total internal volume of 136 cubic meters from the base, nodal and gateway modules. Two Russian cosmonauts will be able to live and work in it.

At the second stage - from 2026 to 2028 - it is planned to replenish the station with four more modules (service platform, production, commercial and warehouse compartments) and bring the internal volume to 464 cubic meters, which can accommodate up to four astronauts.

For example, the residential volume of the Mir station was 376 cubic meters, and the Russian segment of the ISS is now about 189 cubic meters.

Roscosmos proposed to abandon the ISS due to the high cost

Some elements of the International Space Station (ISS) are seriously damaged and cannot be replaced with new ones, the first deputy general director of the Rocket and Space Corporation (SRC) Energia (part of Roscosmos) of the Vladimir Solovyov announced in November 2020 during the Space Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). His statement is quoted by the portal "Scientific Russia"^[10].

According to him, after 2025, an avalanche-like failure of the ISS systems will begin, as a result of which further maintenance of the station will become too expensive. "The spending on further financing, which is estimated at 10-15 billion rubles, is too large," Solovyov admitted.

To replace the ISS in Energia, it was proposed to create a Russian orbital service station (ROSS), which, in particular, provides for an unmanned mode of operation. Solovyov is confident that the rotational mode of work of astronauts will reduce the radiation load on them.

Notes