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Russia to suspend space cooperation with US

http://www.newsweek.com/russia-pulls...nctions-250869

Quote:

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will bar the United States from using Russian-made rocket engines for military satellite launches, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Tuesday, retaliating for sanctions on high-tech equipment which Washington has imposed over the Ukraine crisis.

He also said Russia would reject a U.S. request to prolong the use of the International Space Station beyond 2020.

Russia pledged to respond in kind when the United States said last month that it would deny export licenses for any high-technology items that could aid Russian military capabilities and would revoke existing licenses.

Moscow's measures would affect NK-33 and RD-180 engines which Russia supplies to the United States, Rogozin told a news conference. "We are ready to deliver these engines but on one condition that they will not be used to launch military satellites," he said.

Washington wants to keep the International Space Station, a $100 billion orbital outpost that is a project of 15 nations and a showcase of Russian-U.S. cooperation, flying until at least 2024, four years beyond the previous target.

In spite of differences on foreign policy and security matters, Washington and Moscow have cooperated extensively on space exploration. Russian Soyuz spacecraft are the only way astronauts can get to the space station, whose crews include both Americans and Russians.

Rogozin also said Russia will suspend the operation of GPS satellite navigation system sites in Russia from June and seek talks with Washington on opening similar sites in the United States for Russia's own system, Glonass.

He threatened the permanent closure of the GPS sites in Russia if that is not agreed by September.

I frankly welcome these sanctions, if only because our government will then have an incentive to increase NASA funding and award more contracts to SpaceX. Come on, Rogozin, keep them coming. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor (Post 182127)

http://www.newsweek.com/russia-pulls...nctions-250869

I frankly welcome these sanctions, if only because our government will then have an incentive to increase NASA funding and award more contracts to SpaceX. Come on, Rogozin, keep them coming. :D

Lot of better **** governments could be funding rather than space exploration.
Get your **** together and THEN worry about what's in space.

This is mostly political posturing, and will have no real effects. The Russians need the space station as much as we do. Also, the United States has a large enough stockpile of cheap, reliable Russian rocket engines to last for several years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iron_jones (Post 182130)

Lot of better **** governments could be funding rather than space exploration.
Get your **** together and THEN worry about what's in space.

It's a bit of a false dilemma to say "either space exploration or [insert program of your choice]." NASA's funding is less than one percent of the US federal budget, so I find it dubious that NASA's funding is a major reason for the termination of other government programs. SpaceX is a private company whose operation can be funded by either government contracts, satellite companies, or private investors (though I suspect the first two will probably be dominant for the time being).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sight Unseen (Post 182131)

Yes, in all likelihood this is just political hot air (assuming Putin and Rogozin still have brains). Though frankly the only reason for my "enthusiasm" is that this may provide some incentive for our government to spend some more on NASA and space exploration.

Personally, I'd rather not see space travel be privatized. Just a general distrust of corporate things.

By the time the Russian components the US has will run out (if this isn't rescinded, which seems unlikely), SpaceX will be able to get payloads to the ISS.

Support Grows For New U.S. Rocket Engine | Space content from Aviation Week

USAF Commission Urges New Engine To Mitigate Atlas V Gap | Space content from Aviation Week

I welcome anything that will take us out of the current stagnation in rocket engine development. Seriously, the extreme conservatism in the rocket industry is just sad.

Well, let's see if SpaceX can make this happen. Some interesting engineering decisions.

Mars Ahead? SpaceX Unveils Dragon V2 Capsule for Astronaut Trips - NBC News

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyvaris (Post 182157)

Personally, I'd rather not see space travel be privatized. Just a general distrust of corporate things.

What makes them different from the government? They'll both do what you want if you shovel enough money at them. Corporations just do it more efficiently. And right now, corporations are being shoveled money to do some kickass things.