Spaceship... this phrase makes the heart of any science fiction lover tremble: fans of StarTreck immediately imagine Enterprise, fans of Star Gate - Daedalus and Prometheus, and fans of the work of I. Efremov will remember Dark Flame. And of course, all these ships develop sub-light speed, enter hyperspace and do other wonderful things that allow earthlings to reach distant galaxies... Alas, humanity is still far from all this. So let's go down from the heavens into... low-Earth orbit and see what we have now.
Today, spaceships are a type of spacecraft whose task is to deliver cargo and people into low-Earth orbit. For automatic cargo ships that deliver fuel, scientific equipment, water, air to space stations, that’s all, but manned ships that deliver people there also return them back to Earth. By the way, K.E. Tsiolkovsky, speaking about the creation of such devices, gave them a more poetic name - “sky ships”.
Based on the tasks assigned to it, the spacecraft consists of two parts. The first part is the descent module, which is a small cabin with an entrance hatch and windows (both are tightly closed). Although this part is called the descent module, returning astronauts to Earth is not its only purpose. This is where they are during takeoff. This is the smallest part of the ship, because only the astronauts themselves and small luggage should fit in it: records of research results, films with footage, laboratory equipment and personal belongings of crew members.
The other part of the ship that does not return to Earth includes the orbital compartment and the instrument compartment. Astronauts spend most of their time in the orbital compartment; they work and rest. It's larger than the lander, but it's still quite cramped.
The instrument compartment can be called the “brain” of the ship. There is a computer here that helps control the ship - after all, it is difficult for a person to do this at such speed. Special devices - gyroscopes - maintain the orientation of the ship. There is also a life support system that maintains the temperature in the ship, removes excess moisture and carbon dioxide from the air and releases oxygen.
The spaceship also has engines. At first glance, he doesn’t need them - the spaceship does not take off on its own, it is launched by a launch vehicle operating on the principle of jet propulsion, and then the ship moves due to the acceleration that it gave it and earth’s gravity. The engines correct its orbit through short pulses. A special type of engine is a braking propulsion system. Why is the installation braking? To return to Earth, the speed that the launch vehicle gave the ship must be extinguished, and this requires a lot, and this is what the propulsion braking system does. True, in this case, fuel is consumed by an order of magnitude less than during takeoff, since the ship is “slowed down” to a certain extent by dense layers of the atmosphere, but if there was no atmosphere, the same amount of fuel would be required as for takeoff. And yet, the ship, passing through the atmosphere, heats up so much that only the descent module remains - the rest burns up.
This is, one might say, a “classical” design of a spaceship. It should be noted that such a ship is not without its drawbacks: firstly, it is disposable (which is very wasteful), and secondly, the landing of the descent module is uncontrollable - then you need to look for it. Therefore, the USA and USSR created a new type of manned spacecraft - reusable ones. In the USA, such a ship was the Shuttle, in our country - Buran. Both of them are capable of maneuvering in the atmosphere and landing in a given place, so such ships do not need a descent module. The Soviet "Buran" made the first and only flight in unmanned mode - it was controlled by an on-board computer - and landed successfully, but for economic reasons the project was closed. As for the Shuttle, it served faithfully for many years.
The full-size mock-up of a new generation manned transport spacecraft (PTKK NP) is designed for a comfortable flight of four people with a large supply of food and water.
Let's take a closer look at it.
“This is like a luxury ship, designed to fly around the Moon. There is another option, equipped with six Kazbek carriers of the previous generation: it will fly to the ISS. Thus, RSC Energia offers ship options for long- and short-term flights,” says Vladimir Pirozhkov, president of the Center for Industrial Design and Innovation at MISiS University.
The new generation manned transport spacecraft developed in Russia is equipped with a comfortable toilet, and NASA astronauts will be forced to use diapers while flying on their new Orion spacecraft.
“An important point that distinguishes the new Russian spacecraft from the American one is the presence of an automated control system (sanitary control system). There is probably no need to explain how much more comfortable it is to use the ACS than the diapers provided for Orion astronauts.
The toilet will be hidden behind a curtain in the lower right corner. While it’s empty, this is a layout:
In addition, there is now a limited number of bathrooms on the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS), so a ship equipped with an additional “space toilet” will definitely not be superfluous:
The new ship will allow astronauts to stand up to their full height. This is an important difference from the new American Orion spacecraft currently being tested by Lockheed Martin, commissioned by NASA, in which astronauts are forced to be in a half-bent position, which is completely uncomfortable.
Both Orion and our spacecraft are shaped like a truncated cone, but the American version is lower in height, so astronauts can only fly in a reclining position. During the MAKS-2013 aerospace show, Lockheed Martin specialists examined the new Russian development and confirmed that it is impossible to straighten up to full height in Orion.
According to Pirozhkov, two main versions of the new spacecraft have currently been developed.
The full-scale mock-up of the PTKK NP is no longer a concept, but an almost finished ship, the first test launch of which in unmanned mode is planned for 2017 - early 2018, and a manned one - closer to 2020.
The new generation ship is reusable and is designed to carry out up to ten flights, both to the ISS and to lunar orbit. The lead developer is RSC Energia with the participation of MISiS University.
A few details:
The folding foot holder is adjustable with two buttons on the sides - simple and convenient.
Toilet fixture. During the process, the special tank will be covered with a thick noise-insulating curtain:
Ship control panel:
The Russian ship also received fundamentally new flight seats made of carbon fiber. In this direction, the designer worked closely with the Moscow region NPO Zvezda, a world-famous developer and manufacturer of Kazbek supports and Sokol flight suits for Soyuz spacecraft.
“Thanks to the use of composite materials, we were able to save 15 to 20 kilograms of weight on each seat, as a result of which we can take additional water or food on board.”
Unlike the Kazbek seats of the previous generation, the new chairs are designed for a person of any size and are adjustable in all anthropometric directions. The design of the seats is such that the support, still made individually for each astronaut, is inserted inside their reusable body, which is very convenient. During the take-off stage, the cosmonauts will in any case need to be in flight suits, and after being put into orbit they can be removed.
This is such beauty!
Humanity has been exploring outer space with manned spacecraft for more than half a century. Alas, during this time it, figuratively speaking, has not sailed far. If we compare the Universe to the ocean, we are just wandering at the edge of the surf, ankle-deep in water. One day, however, we decided to swim a little deeper (the Apollo lunar program), and since then we have lived with memories of this event as the highest achievement.
Until now, spaceships have primarily served as delivery vehicles to and from Earth. The maximum duration of autonomous flight achievable by the reusable Space Shuttle is only 30 days, and even then theoretically. But perhaps the spaceships of the future will become much more advanced and versatile?
Already the Apollo lunar expeditions have clearly shown that the requirements for future spacecraft can be strikingly different from the tasks for “space taxis”. The Apollo lunar cabin had very little in common with streamlined ships and was not designed for flight in a planetary atmosphere. Photos of American astronauts give some idea of what the spaceships of the future will look like more than clearly.
The most serious factor that hinders occasional human exploration of the Solar System, not to mention the organization of scientific bases on the planets and their satellites, is radiation. Problems arise even with lunar missions that last a week at most. And the year and a half flight to Mars, which seemed to be about to take place, is being pushed further and further away. Automated research has shown that it is deadly to humans along the entire route of interplanetary flight. So the spaceships of the future will inevitably acquire serious anti-radiation protection in combination with special medical and biological measures for the crew.
It is clear that the faster he gets to his destination, the better. But fast flight requires powerful engines. And for them, in turn, highly efficient fuel that does not take up much space. Therefore, chemical propulsion engines will give way to nuclear ones in the near future. If scientists succeed in taming antimatter, that is, converting mass into light radiation, the spaceships of the future will acquire. In this case, we will be talking about achieving relativistic speeds and interstellar expeditions.
Another serious obstacle to man’s exploration of the Universe will be the long-term provision of his life. In just one day, the human body consumes a lot of oxygen, water and food, releases solid and liquid waste, and exhales carbon dioxide. It is pointless to take a full supply of oxygen and food on board due to their enormous weight. The problem is solved by an on-board closed circuit. However, so far all experiments on this topic have not been successful. And without a closed life support system, spaceships of the future flying through space for years are unthinkable; The artists' pictures, of course, amaze the imagination, but do not reflect the real state of affairs.
So, all projects of spaceships and starships are still far from real implementation. And humanity will have to come to terms with studying the Universe by undercover astronauts and receiving information from automatic probes. But this, of course, is temporary. Astronautics does not stand still, and indirect signs show that a major breakthrough is brewing in this area of human activity. So, perhaps, the spaceships of the future will be built and make their first flights in the 21st century.
Many have heard about him, but have seen almost nothing. Hopes are pinned on him and the future of Russian manned cosmonautics is associated with him. This spacecraft will use the best engineering developments and technical solutions - it will be a real creation of engineering and design thought. The domestic space industry has never created anything like this. It's time to look at the Federation and choose a place for your future flight. Description of the ship and large exclusive photo.
The new spacecraft "Federation", which should replace the manned spacecraft of the Soyuz series, also previously known as the Advanced Manned Transport System (PPTS), is currently under active development, but you can already see a full-fledged bench copy.
Detailed information about the spaceship "Federation"
Designed to deliver people and cargo to orbital stations located in low-Earth orbit and to the Moon. For the Federation, a modular construction of the base ship has been adopted in the form of functionally complete elements - the return vehicle and the engine compartment. The ship will be wingless, with a reusable return part of a truncated conical shape and a disposable cylindrical engine compartment, and will widely use the systems designed at RSC Energia for the Clipper (a multi-purpose manned spacecraft). The maximum crew of the Federation will be 6 people (for flights to the Moon - up to 4 people).
General description and technical specifications
The mass of cargo delivered into orbit is 500 kg, the mass of cargo returned to Earth is 500 kg or more, with a smaller crew. The length of the ship is 6.1 m, the maximum diameter of the hull is 4.4 m, the mass during near-Earth orbital flights is 12 tons (for flights to lunar orbit - 16.5 tons), the mass of the return part is 4.23 tons (including soft systems). landing - 7.77 t), Volume of the sealed compartment - 18 m³. The duration of the ship's autonomous flight is up to 30 days.
New structural materials with improved strength characteristics and carbon fiber reinforced plastics will reduce the weight of the spacecraft structure by 20-30% and will extend its service life. Household compartments will simply be docked, depending on the task that the Federation will face.
During takeoff, the crew should be exposed to overloads of no more than 4 g, and during landing in normal mode, no more than 3 g. The ship must also be reusable (up to 10 flights into space) and have a reliability of at least 0.995. On the new ship, docking with the ISS can be carried out on the day of its launch, as on the Soyuz TMA-M, which could dock six hours after launch.
Control system and communication
The manned spacecraft will be controlled using modern control panels based on liquid crystal displays with flexible menus and data display formats. Communication, direction finding and navigation will be provided in real time via a satellite circuit. The Federation's communications equipment will operate through the Luch multifunctional space relay system, which uses relay satellites.
Engines and docking station
The ship will be equipped with solid fuel engines with a thrust of 22.5 tf and single-component hydrogen peroxide engines with a thrust of 75 kgf. The Federation will receive a docking system from the Soyuz. Taking into account the requirements for the ship, as well as the experience of developing all existing docking systems, a modified pin-cone docking system was chosen for the new ship. This system is used only on the Soyuz, Progress and Russian modules of the ISS, as well as on the European ATV cargo ship.
Thermal protection
The combined thermal control coating "Thermalox" will maintain a given thermal balance and also provide electrostatic protection of the spacecraft. The application of a thermal control coating on the outer surface of the spacecraft will be carried out using the gas-thermal spraying method.
Bathroom
Federation will be equipped with a sanitation system, while NASA astronauts on the Orion spacecraft will use diapers. During the flight, a special tank will be attached with four bolts to the surface of the ship; it will be covered with a thick noise-insulating curtain.
Launch vehicle
Initially, it was planned that the Federation would be launched on the Rus-M launch vehicle, but in 2011 the project was closed. There was a need to create a new super-heavy rocket. In 2014, the idea of creating such a rocket was approved by Vladimir Putin and it was included in the draft Federal Space Program for 2016-2025. At the initial stage, it is planned to use the Angara-A5 launch vehicle for launches.
Landing system
The descent vehicle will land using three parachutes and a soft landing rocket system. Parachutes will open at an altitude of ~1 km, solid rocket engines will reduce the rate of descent from a height of ~50 m. The landing will be carried out on shock-absorbing supports, thereby preventing the descent vehicle from falling on its side after touching the ground, which is typical for the Soyuz spacecraft.
Photos. Marina Lystseva
No one can confidently confirm or deny the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations. Skeptics are convinced that if there were inhabited worlds in the Universe with powerful technologies, their representatives would have visited the Solar System long ago and made themselves known. All that remains is to wait for the brothers in mind who will fly to Earth in their super-fast spaceships.
Other researchers believe that there is no need to expect the arrival of alien guests in the near future. Moreover, earthlings, given the current state of science and technology, will also not be able to go far beyond the solar system. The fact is that the stars closest to Earth, in the area of which one would expect to encounter alien intelligence, are located at a distance of several tens of light years from the Sun.
The most modern spacecraft of earthlings is not able to overcome the distance even during the lifetime of several successive generations. The principles of jet propulsion, which form the basis of current rocket science, make it possible to move at an acceptable speed only within the “home” star system. And even then such journeys can last for years and even decades.
The interstellar unmanned vehicle Voyager, which has already left the solar system, will be able to reach the nearest star in only 17 thousand years.
And yet, experts in the field of space exploration are already purposefully working on projects of spacecraft capable of interstellar travel. No one knows exactly what the first human-controlled vehicle that will go to other stars will look like. Today we can only talk about the general principles of building interstellar ships, based on the achieved level of technology development.
Future spaceship
Apparently, the main element of the interstellar ship will be the power plant. Experts still consider rocket engines using thermonuclear reactions to be the most promising designs. Back in the 70s of the last century, such a ship called “Daedalus” was developed. It was assumed that he would take on board about 50 thousand tons of fuel. The dimensions of the ship had to exceed the dimensions of tall skyscrapers.
The manned interstellar transport will have a part suitable for human habitation. During the long flight, the crew and possible passengers will have to lead a very ordinary life. There are projects that involve creating a state of artificial gravity on the ship.
It is quite possible that part of the useful area of the spacecraft will be occupied by greenhouses, where plants suitable for human consumption will grow.
The appearance of an interstellar ship should not at all resemble a modern space rocket or orbital station. This will be a functional complex consisting of many parts with the most bizarre shapes. Apparently, such a massive ship will not have to launch from the surface of the planet. It is more convenient to assemble it in low-Earth orbit, from where it will travel.
The appearance of the ship will not remain unchanged during the flight to the stars. The laws of technology development state that sooner or later the stage of creating dynamic and self-developing systems comes. This means that the interstellar ship will be able to change its appearance during the flight, discarding its worn-out systems and adapting to changing conditions. But the construction of such a technological “miracle”, apparently, will take place only in the distant future.