Vladimir Putin noted today, the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s spaceflight, that the new Russian spaceport being built in Vostochny will be open for use by other countries.
The competition heats up: Vladimir Putin noted today, the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s spaceflight, that the new Russian spaceport being built in Vostochny will be open for use by other countries.
Putin’s announcement is a bit vague, in that it is not clear whether he means the spaceport could be used by outside private companies or merely that American or European payloads will be launched from the site using Russian rockets. I suspect the latter. Regardless, Putin’s statement both to the Russian public and to the rest of the world illustrates his desire to sell the new spaceport, which in turn will bring Russia business.
Isn’t competition a wonderful thing?
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The competition heats up: Vladimir Putin noted today, the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s spaceflight, that the new Russian spaceport being built in Vostochny will be open for use by other countries.
Putin’s announcement is a bit vague, in that it is not clear whether he means the spaceport could be used by outside private companies or merely that American or European payloads will be launched from the site using Russian rockets. I suspect the latter. Regardless, Putin’s statement both to the Russian public and to the rest of the world illustrates his desire to sell the new spaceport, which in turn will bring Russia business.
Isn’t competition a wonderful thing?
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
What a paradox, the Russians and Chinese are embracing and move toward the power of capitalism and America moves toward the darkness of communism. One move makes perfect sense to do what works and the other move indicates that too much success makes you fat and you tend to believe that you no longer are constrained by the laws of nature and good business practices.
This to me is a representation of social / economic evolution and the one critical thing that is required for it to take place? The American Constitution. Without it I do not believe any of this could take place at these levels.
Q: Is the Constitution and capitalism a natural result of the universe and evolution ?
Q: Will the people of America be able to wake up, understand their responsibilities related to their exceptionalism / Constitution in time to prevent their country from going too far down the dark road of communism?
The former would also be good but maybe not so great for us because of ITAR?
The best part about NASA working with SpaceX is that SpaceX can have other customers. I am not sure if Orbital is looking for other customers and Orbital does have a finite supply of engines.
The best way for NASA to help grow the industry is to have a COTS like procurement strategy for technologies that can be used by other customers besides NASA, like a tug that could either refuel satellites or tow them to the ISS (or someplace else) for repairs. Certainly would be nice to be able to fix Keplar or other satellites when they break.
I thought Russia was already fully comersial with their launch facilities and vehicles?
We have to pay every time we want a new astronaut in space don’t we?
And they have been lifting other private companies satellites into orbit for years.
Why would they cut their own throats now and stop one of the few things they have that almost, if not fully, pays for itself they have in their government?
The old launch facility was a wreck. It needed rebuilt anyways. So moving it out of K-stan was a no brainer. Russia was never going to rebuild something in another country when they could just as easily built a new one inside their own.
Telling the world that they are joining to keep running things just they always have is not really unexpected but it is a relief in that they can always be used as an emergency back up for astronaut recovery.
Now we just have to see what the new prices are.
The Russians are going to have to compete with the likes of Space X, Elon Musk and other billionaires with launch ambitions would be my guess.