Russia throws doubt on joint lunar space station with U.S.: RIA
Moscow may abandon a project to build a space station in lunar orbit in partnership with U.S. space agency NASA because it does not want a "second fiddle role," a Russian official said on Saturday.
[...] [The] head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, said Russia might exit the joint program and instead propose its own lunar orbit space station project.
[...] A spokesman for Roscosmos said later that Russia had no immediate plans to leave the project. "Russia has not refused to take part in the project of the lunar orbit station with the USA," Vladimir Ustimenko was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.
FLOP-G?
Also at ABC (Associated Press).
Previously:
NASA Suspends Collaboration with Russia
Russia to Build New Space Station with NASA after ISS
NASA and Roscosmos Sign Joint Statement on the Development of a Lunar Space Station
Russia Assembles Engineering Group for Lunar Activities and the Deep Space Gateway
China Will Focus on a Lunar Surface Station Rather than a Lunar Orbiting Station
NASA and Roscosmos Release Joint Statement on ISS Leak Amid Rumors
Related:
NASA and International Partners Planning Orbital Lunar Outpost
President Trump Praises Falcon Heavy, Diminishes NASA's SLS Effort
NASA's Chief of Human Spaceflight Rules Out Use of Falcon Heavy for Lunar Station
This Week in Space Pessimism: SLS, Mars, and Lunar Gateway
NASA Administrator Ponders the Fate of SLS in Interview
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Could Launch Japanese and European Payloads to Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway
(Score: 2, Interesting) by requerdanos on Monday September 24 2018, @06:37PM (2 children)
1. The Soviet Union hasn't been transporting USA's astronauts to and from the International Space Station since 2011 (that's actually Russia).
2. The question here is not whether their rockets are impressive, but whether Russia would play "Second Fiddle".
3. The question here is neither whether the mission is a good idea (you're right; it isn't) but whether Russia would play "Second Fiddle".
If the U.S. thinks Russia should play second fiddle in some way, perhaps they should review their space history.
If you genuinely think that Russia's underwhelming rockets and less impressive space program make it somehow not as good as the U.S., I invite you to please consider that they can put people in space and the U.S. can't, and it's been that way for a long time. The U.S. has performed in fits and starts, some really good ("That's one small step for a man..."), some not that great ("Hey, I know, let's discontinue these Shuttles with no replacement even while we have personnel in space; let them call a taxi or something"). Meanwhile Russia has quietly been (and yet remains) a steady, reliable performer.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by takyon on Monday September 24 2018, @07:21PM
1. You listed a bunch of Soviet Union space achievements, which is why I mentioned it. Russia is weaker than the Soviet Union and not engaging in a "space race". If we have a space race with any country going forward, it will probably be China.
2. Russia's unimpressive rockets are an important piece of the overall picture. Their space program is shit, and they have no plans to effectively compete with SpaceX. Note that this is not just a problem for Roscosmos, but also Arianespace and others.
3. LOP-G is designed to give the military industrial complex some pork money to build a destination for the U.S. pork rocket: the Space Launch System. Most of the components appear to be U.S.-built and planned to launch using the SLS Block 1B. Yes, Russia is playing "second fiddle", at least under the current plans. They would be wasting their time and money by participating in what amounts to a U.S. stimulus package to certain U.S. companies.
The U.S. has all the technology needed to put people into space. What they get with Soyuz is a relatively cheap [businessinsider.com], cramped ride that only goes to the ISS, which is the only place the U.S. wants to send humans at this point anyway. It was a good deal while it lasted, although the price has increased greatly over the years, but soon SpaceX and maybe Boeing's offerings will be better. The Soyuz reliability record is not shared by their other rockets.
In retrospect, the U.S. lack of a domestic manned spaceflight provider has been a great thing. The gap allowed SpaceX to get lucrative contracts to deliver cargo and soon humans to the ISS. If the company succeeds with BFR, the consequences will be enormous.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by khallow on Monday September 24 2018, @07:53PM
It's not the US's space program that is relevant here, but US private industry. A big part of Russia's capabilities comes from its launch systems. Those aren't keeping up with SpaceX.