Spaceships of the future. New Shepard - Secret ship from Amazon. What do we have

The Dragon (SpaceX Dragon) is SpaceX's private transport spacecraft, developed by order of NASA, designed to deliver and return payloads and, in the future, people to the International Space Station.
The Dragon ship is being developed in several modifications: cargo, manned Dragon v2 (crew up to 7 people), cargo-passenger (crew 4 people + 2.5 tons of cargo), the maximum mass of the ship with cargo on the ISS can be 7.5 tons, also a modification for autonomous flights (DragonLab).

On May 29, 2014, the company introduced a manned version of the Dragon reusable vehicle, which will allow the crew not only to get to the ISS, but to return to Earth with full control of the landing procedure. Seven astronauts can be in the Dragon capsule at the same time. Unlike the cargo version, it is capable of docking with the ISS on its own, without using the station's manipulator. Chief stronauts and control panel. It is also stated that the descent capsule will be reusable, the first unmanned flight is scheduled for 2015, manned - for 2016.
In July 2011, it became known that the Ames Research Center was developing the concept of the Red Dragon Martian research mission using the Falcon Heavy launch vehicle and the SpaceX Dragon capsule.

SPACESHIPTWO

SpaceShipTwo (SS2) is a private manned suborbital reusable spacecraft. It is part of the Tier One program founded by Paul Allen and is based on the successful SpaceShipOne project.
The device will be delivered to the launch altitude (about 20 km) using the White Knight Two (WK2) aircraft. The maximum flight altitude is 135-140 km (according to BBC information) or 160-320 km (according to an interview with Burt Rutan), which will increase the weightlessness time to 6 minutes. The maximum overload is 6 g. All flights are scheduled to start and end at the same airfield in Mojave, California. The initial expected ticket price is $200,000. The first test flight took place in March 2010. About a hundred test flights are planned. The start of commercial operation is not earlier than 2015.

DREAM CHASER

The Dream Chaser is a reusable manned spacecraft being developed by the American company SpaceDev. The ship is designed to deliver cargo and crews of up to 7 people to low earth orbit.
In January 2014, it was announced that the launch for the first unmanned test orbital flight was scheduled for November 1, 2016; if the test program is successfully completed, the first manned flight will take place in 2017.
The Dream Chaser will be launched into space on top of an Atlas-5 launch vehicle. Landing - horizontal, aircraft. The possibility of not only planning, like the Space Shuttle ships, but also solo flight and landing on any runways with a length of at least 2.5 km. Machine body made of composite materials, with ceramic thermal protection, crew - from two to seven people.

NEW SHEPARD

Designed for use in space tourism, the New Shepard is a reusable launch vehicle from Blue Origin that will have vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Blue Origin is a company owned by Amazon.com founder and businessman Jeff Bezos. New Shepard will begin travel to sub-orbital heights, and in addition, will conduct experiments in space, then perform vertical landing for nutrition and recovery and reuse vehicle.
The New Shepard reusable spacecraft is capable of vertical takeoff and landing.
In accordance with the idea of the developers, New Shepard can be used to deliver people and equipment into space to a suborbital altitude of about 100 km above sea level. At such a height, experiments can be carried out in microgravity conditions. It is noted that the spacecraft can accommodate up to three crew members on board. After the vertical start of the apparatus, the engine compartment (occupies about 3/4 of the entire apparatus, located in the lower part) operates for 2.5 minutes. Further, the engine compartment is separated from the cockpit and makes an independent vertical landing. The cabin with the crew, after completing all the planned work in orbit, is able to land on its own, it is planned to use parachutes for its descent and landing.

ORION MPCV

Orion, MPCV is a multi-purpose partially reusable manned spacecraft of the United States, developed since the mid-2000s as part of the Constellation program. The purpose of this program was to return Americans to the moon, and the Orion spacecraft was intended to deliver people and cargo to the International Space Station and for flights to the Moon, as well as to Mars in the future.
Initially, the test flight of the spacecraft was scheduled for 2013, the first manned flight with a crew of two astronauts was planned for 2014, the start of flights to the Moon - for 2019-2020. At the end of 2011, it was assumed that the first flight without astronauts would take place in 2014, and the first manned flight in 2017. In December 2013, plans were announced for the first unmanned test flight (EFT-1) using the Delta 4 carrier in September 2014, the first unmanned launch using the SLS carrier is scheduled for 2017. In March 2014, the first unmanned test flight (EFT-1) using the Delta 4 carrier was rescheduled for December 2014.
On the Orion spacecraft, both cargo and astronauts will be launched into space. When flying to the ISS, the Orion crew can include up to 6 astronauts. It was planned to send four astronauts on an expedition to the Moon. The Orion spacecraft was supposed to ensure the delivery of people to the Moon for a long stay on it in order to further prepare a manned flight to Mars.

LYNX MARK

The main purpose of the Lynx Mark I will be tourism. Taking off horizontally from a conventional airfield, the machine will climb up to 42 kilometers, maintaining a speed twice the speed of sound. Then the engines will turn off, but the Lynx Mark I will rise another 19 kilometers by inertia. At the very peak of the range of altitudes accessible to the ship, it will experience approximately four minutes of weightlessness, after which it will re-enter the atmosphere and, planning, will land on the airfield. The maximum g-force during descent will be 4 g. The entire flight will take no more than half an hour. At the same time, the rocket plane is conceived for intensive work: four flights a day with maintenance after every 40 sorties (10 days of flights).
From the point of view of space tourism, the device has a number of undeniable advantages, the main of which is its not too high speed both on the ascent and on the descent. This allows you to make the heat-shielding shell reliable, but not disposable, like the SpaceX Dragon.
Considering that the cost of a two-seat orbital plane, according to the company's promises, will not exceed $10 million, with four flights a day, the device will quickly pay off. After that, the more ambitious Lynx Mark II and III will be created, with an orbital flight altitude of 100 kilometers, capable of carrying a load of up to 650 kilograms.

CST-100

CST-100 (from the English Crew Space Transportation) is a manned transport spacecraft developed by Boeing. This is Boeing's space debut as part of the NASA-sponsored and funded Commercial Manned Spacecraft Development Program.
The CST-100 nose fairing will be used to increase the airflow of the capsule, and after the exit from the atmosphere, it will be separated. Behind the panel is a docking port for docking with the ISS and presumably other orbital stations. To control the device, 3 pairs of engines are intended: two on the sides for maneuvering, two main ones that create the main thrust and two additional ones. The capsule is equipped with two portholes: front and side. The CST-100 consists of two modules: an instrument-aggregate compartment and a descent vehicle. The latter is designed to ensure the normal existence of astronauts on board the vehicle and storage of cargo, while the former includes all necessary systems flight control and will be separated from the descent vehicle before re-entry.
In the future, the device will be used to deliver cargo and crew. CST-100 will be able to carry a team of 7 people. It is assumed that the device will deliver the crew to the International Space Station and the Bigelow Orbital Space Complex (Bigelow Aerospace Orbital Space Complex). The term in the docked state with the ISS is up to 6 months.
The CST-100 is designed for relatively short trips. The "100" in the ship's name means 100 km or 62 miles (Low Earth Orbit).
One of the features of the CST-100 is additional features orbital maneuvering: if the fuel in the system separating the capsule and launch vehicle is not used (in case of an unsuccessful launch), it can then be consumed in orbit.
It is planned to reuse the descent capsule up to 10 times.
The return of the capsule to Earth will be provided by disposable thermal protection, parachutes and inflatable pillows(for the final stage of landing).
In May 2014, the first unmanned test launch of the CST-100 was announced in January 2017. The first orbital flight of a manned spacecraft with two astronauts is scheduled for mid-2017. During launches, the Atlas-5 launch vehicle will be used. Also, docking with the ISS is not excluded.

PPTS -PTK NP

Promising manned transport system(PPTS) and New Generation Manned Transport Vehicle (PTK NP) are the temporary official names of the projects of the Russian launch vehicle and multi-purpose manned partially reusable spacecraft.
Under these temporary official names are Russian projects represented by a launch vehicle and a multi-purpose manned spacecraft, which is partially reusable. It is he who in the future will have to replace the manned ships represented by the Soyuz series, as well as the automatic cargo ships of the Progress program.
The creation of the PCA is conditioned by certain state goals and objectives. Among them is the fact that the ship will have to ensure national security, be technologically independent, allow the state to have unhindered access to outer space, fly into lunar orbit and land there.
The crew can consist of a maximum of six people, and if this is a flight to the moon, then no more than four. The delivered cargo can reach 500 kg in weight, the same amount can be the mass of the returned cargo.
The launch of the ship into orbit will be carried out using the new Amur launch vehicle.
As for the engine compartment of the descent vehicle, it provides for the use of only environmentally friendly fuel components, including ethyl alcohol, as well as gaseous oxygen. Inside the engine compartment can fit up to 8 tons of fuel.
It is expected that the territory of landing sites will be located in the south of Russia. Landing of the descent vehicle will be carried out using three parachutes. The reactive soft landing system will also contribute to this. Previously, the developers had adhered to the idea of using a fully reactive system, which would include reserve parachutes for those situations when the engines turn out to be faulty.

In 2011, the United States found itself without space Vehicle capable of delivering a man into low Earth orbit. Now American engineers are designing more new manned spacecraft than ever before, with private companies leading the way, which means that space exploration will become much cheaper. In this article, we will talk about seven designed devices, and if at least some of these projects come to life, a new golden age in manned astronautics will come.

Type: habitable capsule Creator: Space Exploration Technologies / Elon Musk
Launch date: 2015
Destination: flights to orbit (to the ISS)
Chances of success: very good

When Elon Musk founded his company Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in 2002, skeptics saw no prospects in this. However, by 2010, his startup became the first private enterprise that managed to repeat what had been the diocese of the state until that time. A Falcon 9 rocket launched an unmanned Dragon capsule into orbit.

The next step in Musk's journey into space is the development of a reusable Dragon vehicle capable of carrying people on board. It will bear the name DragonRider and is intended for flights to the ISS. Using an innovative approach in both design and operation, SpaceX claims that the transportation of passengers will cost only $20 million per passenger seat (a passenger seat in the Russian Soyuz today costs the United States $63 million).

The path to the manned capsule

Improved interior

The capsule will be equipped for a crew of seven. Already inside the unmanned version, earth pressure is maintained, so it will not be difficult to adapt it for people to stay.

Wider portholes

Through them, astronauts will be able to observe the process of docking with the ISS. In future modifications of the capsule - with the possibility of landing on a jet stream - an even wider view will be required.

Additional engines developing 54 tons of thrust for emergency ascent into orbit in the event of a launch vehicle failure.

Dream Chaser - Descendant of the space shuttle

Type: rocket-launched spaceplane Creator: Sierra Nevada Space Systems
Planned launch into orbit: 2017
Purpose: orbital flights
Chances of success: good

Of course, space planes have certain advantages. Unlike a conventional passenger capsule, which, falling through the atmosphere, can only slightly correct the trajectory, the shuttles are able to carry out maneuvers during descent and even change the destination airfield. In addition, they can be reused after a short service. However, the accidents of two American shuttles showed that space planes are by no means an ideal means for orbital expeditions. Firstly, it is expensive to carry cargo on the same vehicles as the crews, because using a purely cargo ship, you can save on security and life support systems.

Secondly, attaching the shuttle to the side of the boosters and fuel tank increases the risk of damage from accidentally falling off elements of these structures, which caused the death of the Columbia shuttle. However, Sierra Nevada Space Systems swears that it will be able to whitewash the reputation of the orbital space plane. To do this, she has a Dream Chaser - a winged vehicle for delivering crews to the space station. Already, the company is fighting for NASA contracts. The design of the Dream Chaser got rid of the main shortcomings characteristic of the old space shuttles. Firstly, now they intend to carry cargo and crews separately. And secondly, now the ship will be mounted not on the side, but on top of the Atlas V launch vehicle. At the same time, all the advantages of the shuttles will be preserved.

Suborbital flights of the apparatus are scheduled for 2015, and it will be launched into orbit two years later.

How is it inside?

On this device, seven people can go into space at once. The ship takes off on top of the rocket.

At a given site, it separates from the carrier and then can moor to the docking port of the space station.

The Dream Chaser has never flown into space yet, but it is already ready, at least for runway runs. In addition, it was dropped from helicopters, testing the aerodynamic capabilities of the ship.

New Shepard - Amazon's Secret Ship

Type: habitable capsule Creator: Blue Origin / Jeff Bezos
Launch date: unknown
Chances of success: good

Jeff Bezos, the 49-year-old founder of Amazon.com and a billionaire with a vision for the future, has been carrying out secret plans for space exploration for more than a decade. From his $25 billion net worth, Bezos has already invested many millions in a daring endeavor that has been named Blue Origin. His craft will take off from an experimental launch pad built (with FAA approval, of course) in a remote corner of West Texas.

In 2011, the company released footage showing the New Shepard cone-shaped missile system being prepared for testing. It takes off vertically to a height of one and a half hundred meters, hangs there for a while, and then smoothly falls to the ground with the help of a jet stream. According to the project, in the future, the launch vehicle will be able, after throwing the capsule to a suborbital altitude, independently return to the cosmodrome using its own engine. This is a much more economical scheme than catching the used stage in the ocean after splashdown.

After Internet entrepreneur Jeff Bezos founded his space company in 2000, he kept its very existence a secret for three years. The company launches its experimental vehicles (like the capsule pictured) from a private spaceport in West Texas.

The system consists of two parts.

The capsule for the crew, in which normal atmospheric pressure is maintained, separates from the carrier and flies to an altitude of 100 km. The sustainer engine allows the rocket to make a vertical landing near the launch pad. The capsule itself is then returned to earth using a parachute.

The launch vehicle lifts the apparatus from the launch pad.

SpaceShipTwo - Pioneer in the travel business

Type: air-launched spacecraft from carrier aircraft Created by: Virgin Galactic /
Richard Branson
Launch date: scheduled for 2014
Purpose: suborbital flights
Chances of success: very good

The first of the SpaceShipTwo vehicles during a test gliding flight. In the future, four more of the same apparatus will be built, which will begin to carry tourists. Already 600 people have signed up for the flight, including celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Built by famed designer Burt Rutan in collaboration with tycoon Richard Branson, owner of the Virgin Group, the craft laid the foundation for the future of space tourism. Why not roll everyone into space? The new version of this device will be able to accommodate six tourists and two pilots. The journey into space will consist of two parts. First, the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft tower (its length is 18 m, and its wingspan is 42) will lift the SpaceShipTwo apparatus to a height of 15 km.

Then the rocket will separate from the carrier aircraft, start its own engines and blast into space. At an altitude of 108 km, passengers will perfectly consider the curvature earth's surface, and the serene radiance of the earth's atmosphere - and all this against the backdrop of black cosmic depths. A ticket worth a quarter of a million dollars will allow travelers to enjoy weightlessness, but only for four minutes.

Inspiration Mars - Kiss over the Red Planet

Type: interplanetary transport Creator: Inspiration Mars Foundation / Dennis Tito
Launch date: 2018
Destination: flight to Mars
Chances of success: doubtful

Honeymoon (one and a half years long) in an interplanetary expedition? The Inspiration Mars fund, run by former NASA engineer, investment specialist and first space tourist Dennis Tito, wants to offer this opportunity to a select couple. Tito's group expects to take advantage of the alignment of the planets that will occur in 2018 (this happens once every 15 years). "Parade" will allow flying from Earth to Mars and returning along a free return trajectory, that is, without burning additional fuel. Next year, Inspiration Mars will begin accepting applications for a 501-day expedition.

The ship will have to fly at a distance of 150 km from the surface of Mars. To participate in the flight, it is supposed to choose a married couple - possibly newlyweds (an important question psychological compatibility). “The Inspiration Mars Foundation estimates that it will need to raise $1-2 billion. We are laying the foundation for things that previously seemed simply unthinkable, such as, say, flying to other planets,” says Marco Cáceres, head of space research from Teal Group.

Type: space plane capable of taking off on its own Creator: XCOR Aerospace
Planned launch date: 2014
Purpose: suborbital flights
Chances of success: quite good

California-based XCOR Aerospace (headquartered in Mojave) believes they hold the key to the cheapest suborbital flights. The company is already selling tickets for its 9-metre Lynx, which seats just two passengers. Tickets cost $95,000.

Unlike other space planes and passenger capsules, the Lynx does not need a booster to go into space. By launching jet engines specially designed for this project (they will burn kerosene with liquid oxygen), Lynx will take off from the runway in a horizontal direction, as an ordinary aircraft does, and, only after accelerating, will soar steeply along its space trajectory. The first test flight of the device may take place in the coming months.

Takeoff: The space plane accelerates along the runway.

Climb: After reaching Mach 2.9, it climbs steeply.

Target: Approximately 3 minutes after takeoff, the engines shut down. The aircraft follows a parabolic trajectory as it flies through suborbital space.

Return to the dense layers of the atmosphere and landing.

The device gradually slows down, cutting circles in a downward spiral.

Orion - Passenger capsule for a large company

Type: manned spacecraft for interstellar travel
Creator: NASA / US Congress
Launch Date: 2021-2025

NASA has already conceded flights to near-Earth orbit without regret to private companies, but the agency has not yet abandoned its claims to deep space. To planets and asteroids, perhaps, the Orion multi-purpose habitable apparatus will fly. It will consist of a capsule docked with a module, which, in turn, will contain a power plant with a supply of fuel, as well as a living compartment. The first test flight of the capsule will take place in 2014. It will be launched into space by a 70-meter long Delta launch vehicle. Then the capsule must return to the atmosphere and land in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

For long-distance expeditions, for which Orion is being prepared, a new rocket will apparently also be built. NASA's Huntsville, Alabama facilities are already working on a new 98-meter Space Launch System rocket. This super-heavy vehicle should be ready by the time (and if) NASA astronauts are going to fly to the Moon, to some asteroid, or even further. "We're increasingly thinking about Mars," says Dan Dumbacher, director of NASA's Exploratory Systems Engineering Division, "as our main goal." True, some critics say that such claims are somewhat excessive. The projected system is so huge that NASA will be able to use it no more than once every two years, since one launch will cost $6 billion.

When will man set foot on an asteroid?

In 2025, NASA plans to send astronauts in the Orion spacecraft to one of the asteroids located near the Earth - 1999AO10. The journey should take five months.

Launch: An Orion with a crew of four will take off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Flight: After five days of flight, Orion, using the force of gravity of the Moon, will make a turn around it and head for 1999AO10.

Meeting: astronauts will fly to the asteroid two months after launch. They will spend two weeks on its surface, but there is no talk of a real landing, since this space rock has too little gravity. Rather, crew members would simply attach their ship to the asteroid's surface and collect mineral samples.

Return: Since the asteroid 1999AO10 has been gradually approaching Earth all this time, the return trip will be a little shorter. Once in Earth orbit, the capsule will separate from the ship and splash down in the ocean.

The Russian orbital station, which will replace the ISS, will be eternal, according to the annual report. talks about the largest near-Earth laboratory currently operating, prospects Russian station and space plans of other countries, primarily the United States and China.

It is planned to operate the ISS until at least 2024. After that, the work of the laboratory will be completed or extended for another four years. The ISS partners, primarily the US, Russia, and Japan, have not yet made a decision. Meanwhile, the future of the ISS is directly related to the development of new space technologies.

Deadline

After the separation of the Russian segment from the ISS, the Russian orbital laboratory will consist of three modules: a multi-purpose laboratory with improved performance "Nauka", a hub "Prichal" and a scientific and energy one. Later, the national station is planned to be equipped with three more modules - transformable, gateway and power.

The main goal of the laboratory is to become a platform for testing deep space exploration technologies. As reported in the annual report of the RKK, it is assumed that "the continuous operation of the station due to the replacement of modules that have exhausted their resource." Although the first three modules should be part of the ISS, none of them have yet been launched to the station. The reasons are the same. Consider, for example, the situation with the Science module.

The Deputy Prime Minister agreed with him. “The question of the future of manned programs should be discussed, and not go with the flow, being responsible only for the process, but not for the result. The opinion of this expert should be heeded, and not habitually dismissed. We are waiting for an objective analysis of the situation and specific proposals from Roskosmos. Otherwise, we will lag behind not only the United States, but also other space powers. Only nostalgia for the old days will remain, ”-

Orion

After the tragedy with the Columbia shuttle, the authority of the Space Shuttle program was seriously undermined, and NASA faced the task of creating a new reusable manned shuttle. In the mid-2000s, this project was called the Crew Exploration Vehicle, but later acquired a more sonorous and beautiful name - "Orion".

"Orion" is a partially manned reusable spacecraft, which, in fact, repeats technical design ships of the Apollo series, but has a much more perfect "stuffing", especially electronic. Almost everything has been updated - even the toilet in the new shuttle will be in the image of those used on the ISS.

It is assumed that the Orion ships will begin with near-Earth activities - mainly, they will be engaged in the delivery of astronauts to the orbital station. Then the fun begins: NASA representatives say that the new shuttle will be able to return a man to the moon, help land astronauts on an asteroid, and even make the “next giant leap” (Next Giant Leap is already officially one of the slogans accompanying the Orion program) - to allow man finally set foot on the surface of Mars.

The first serious test (Exploration Flight Test-1) of a largely finished ship will begin in December 2014 - however, it will only be an orbital and unmanned flight for primary tests. The first flight of astronauts on Orion is scheduled for the early 2020s. The most attractive, and thus the most likely (because of its relatively low cost) manned mission for NASA's new shuttle so far is to visit an asteroid previously delivered to lunar orbit.

Orion shuttle concept / ©NASA

SpaceShipTwo

The British company Virgin Galactic, headed by billionaire Richard Branson, is one of the locomotives of space tourism and is soon going to take commercial space to a new level.

Approximately by the end of 2014, the first passenger launches of the suborbital shuttle will begin, which for 250 thousand dollars will be able to ride six lucky people at an altitude of 110 km above sea level. This is 10 km higher than the Karman Line, the International Aviation Federation's boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space.

Rockets are not used when launching SpaceShipTwo; instead of them, the shuttle lifts to required height the main aircraft is WhiteKnightTwo, then the ship is dropped, and the main - already rocket - engine is turned on on it, specially designed for it (RocketMotorTwo), which brings the ship to the cherished line of 110 km. Then the ship descends and re-enters the atmosphere at a speed of 4200 km/h (and can do it at any angle), and then sits on the airfield on its own.

The number of people signed up for the first flights of SpaceShipTwo is approaching a thousand. Among them are actors Ashton Kutcher and Angelina Jolie, as well as, for example, Justin Bieber. Seats for flying with Leonardo DiCaprio were generally raffled off at a charity auction - it turned out that many were not averse to paying a million dollars for such a service.

By the way, the UK's recent decision to build its own commercial spaceport was dictated, among other things, by the need to create infrastructure for companies such as Virgin Galactic. The company currently uses Spaceport America, located in the US state of New Mexico.

SpaceShipTwo in solo flight / ©MarsScientific

Dawn

The mission of the interplanetary automatic station Dawn ("Dawn") is unique: the satellite must explore a pair of dwarf planets of the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter), and directly from their orbit. If all goes well, this device will become the first satellite in history to visit the orbits of two different celestial bodies (not including the Earth).

Developed by NASA and launched in 2007, and equipped with an experimental ion thruster, the vehicle has already successfully completed its mission to explore the rocky protoplanet Vesta in 2012. All data received by the satellite is in the public domain.

At the moment, Dawn is heading towards an even more interesting object - the icy Ceres. This protoplanet (previously classified as an asteroid) has a diameter of 950 kilometers and is very close to a spherical shape. Having a mass of a third of the entire asteroid belt, Ceres could officially become a planet (5th from the Sun), but in 2006, together with Pluto, it received the status of a dwarf planet. According to calculations, the ice mantle on its surface can reach 100 km in depth; it means that fresh water more on Ceres than on Earth.

Both objects - both Vesta and Ceres - are of great interest to scientists. Their study will allow us to delve deeper into the understanding of the processes occurring during the formation of planets, as well as the factors influencing it.

Dawn is expected to orbit Ceres in February 2015.

Dawn approaching Vesta concept / ©NASA/JPL-Caltech

New Horizons

A little later, in July 2015, another major event is planned related to the mission of another interplanetary automatic station. Around this time, Pluto's orbit will be reached by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, launched in 2006, whose mission is to carefully study Pluto and its satellites, as well as a couple of objects in the Kuiper Belt (depending on which will be most accessible in around the satellite in 2015)

At the moment, the device has a striking record - it has reached the highest speed in comparison with any device launched from Earth, and is heading towards Pluto at a speed of 16.26 km / s. To achieve this, New Horizons was helped by the gravitational acceleration that he received when flying near Jupiter.

By the way, many research functions of the apparatus were tested on Jupiter and its satellites. After leaving the Jovian system, the energy-saving apparatus plunged into a "sleep" from which it would only be awakened by the approach of Pluto.

The concept of New Horizons against the backdrop of Pluto and its moon / ©NASA

Don Quijote

The mission of the interplanetary automatic station "Don Quixote", developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), is truly chivalrous. Consisting of two vehicles - the research "Sancho" and the "impact" "Hidalgo", "Don Quixote" will have to demonstrate once and for all whether humanity can be saved from an imminent asteroid fall by forcing a potential murderer to change course.

It is assumed that both parts of the device will reach some pre-selected asteroid with a diameter of about 500 meters. "Sancho" will revolve around him, doing the necessary research.

When everything is ready, Sancho will move away from the asteroid to a safe distance, and Hidalgo will crash into it at a speed of 10 km / s. Then the Sancho will again study the object - more precisely, what consequences the collision left: whether the asteroid's course has changed, how strong the destruction is in its structure, etc.

Don Quixote is scheduled to launch around 2016.

Don Quijote concept with an unnamed asteroid in the background / ©ESA - AOES Medialab

Luna Globe

Projects of lunar vehicles are being revived in Russia, and people responsible for the Russian space industry are increasingly talking about creating a lunar colony with a tricolor.

The creation of a space base on the Moon is still a distant prospect, but the projects of interplanetary automatic stations for the study of an artificial satellite of the Earth are quite feasible right now, and for several years now the Luna-Glob program has been the main one in Russia - in fact, the first necessary step en route to a potential lunar settlement.

The interplanetary automatic probe "Luna-Glob" will mainly consist of a landing descent vehicle. It will land on the lunar surface in its south polar region, presumably in the Boguslavsky crater, and work out the mechanism for landing on the lunar surface. The probe will also study the lunar soil - drilling in order to take soil samples and further analyze it for the presence of ice (water is necessary both for the life of astronauts and potentially as hydrogen fuel for rockets).

The launch of the device was postponed many times for various reasons, at the moment the launch year is 2015. In the future, before the manned flight planned for the 2030s, it is planned to launch several more heavier probes, including Luna-Resource, which will the study of the Moon and other necessary preparatory measures for the future landing of astronauts.

The concept of the Luna Globe lander / ©Rusrep

dream chaser

The Dream Chaser mini-shuttle from Sierra Nevada Corporation is being developed for NASA as a reliable and reusable manned vehicle for suborbital and orbital flights. The Dream Chaser is supposed to be used to deliver astronauts to the ISS.

The launch of the device is carried out by the Atlas-5 rocket. The shuttle itself, capable of carrying 7 people, is powered by hybrid rocket engines. Landing, like SpaceShipTwo, it carries out independently and horizontally - at the spaceport.

Along with SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's CST-100, the Dream Chaser is a commercial contender for US and NASA's new primary manned spacecraft (all three projects have received government funding). It is worth noting that these devices are being developed by the private sector of the American space industry with partial state support and are aimed at operations in near-Earth space. As for activities in deeper space, NASA already has its own manned spacecraft program, and this is the Orion mentioned above.

Most recently (July 22, 2014), Dream Chaser tests were carried out, which showed the readiness of all key systems for space flights. The first test manned flight of the shuttle is scheduled for 2016.

Concept Dream Chaser, docked to the ISS / ©NASA

Inspiration Mars

Of course, many people know about the Mars One project, a planned space reality show, the authors of which are now holding a worldwide competition to select applicants for a manned flight to Mars by the early 2020s and the creation of a permanent human settlement there. However, there is another similar project - Inspiration Mars.

The Inpsiration Mars Foundation is non-profit organization, created by the first space tourist - American Dennis Tito. Tito proposes to raise the necessary funds and send two people on a spaceship to Mars. There are no plans to land or enter orbit; only a flyby of the Red Planet and return to Earth. With luck, the mission should take 501 days.

It is supposed to attract funds both from the private sector and from the US budget; in total, from 1 to 2 billion dollars is required, the exact cost has not yet been named. The American Orion is called as an apparatus that can be involved in the mission.

Tito believes that the flight should be completed as early as 2018 (Mars at this moment will again be as close as possible to the Earth, which will create favorable conditions for interplanetary flight; the next time this will be only in 2031).

There is also a “Plan B” in case the mission is not ready by 2018: extend the mission to 589 days, launch the device in 2021 and fly not only past Mars, but also past Venus.

The trajectory of the probable flight of Inspiration Mars / ©Inpsiration Mars Foundation

James WebbTelescope

A space telescope that costs more than three Curiosity rovers. The James Webb Telescope is the successor to the world-famous Hubble telescope (which continues to age). Not only the United States, but also 16 other countries participated in the development of the project. NASA received substantial assistance from the space agencies of Europe and Canada.

The $8 billion telescope (the latest figure released by Congress) is expected to be launched on an Arian 5 rocket in October 2018 and placed at the Lagrange point between the Sun and Earth.

The main mirror of the telescope consists of 18 gilded movable mirrors connected into one, and has a diameter of 6.5 meters. The telescope will "see" in the optical, near and mid-infrared ranges. With its help, it is supposed to study the early stages of the development of the Universe and see the celestial bodies extremely distant from our galaxy, as well as to make clearer than ever pictures of objects in the solar system.

In terms of its capabilities, James Webb will surpass not only Hubble, but also another important space telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope.

JUICE

The interplanetary automatic station Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer is likely to change our understanding of the small bodies of the solar system. The JUICE satellite, developed by ESA, will go to Jupiter in 2022 and will engage in long-awaited studies of some of the most interesting objects in the solar system - the three closest and largest satellites of Jupiter from the so-called Galilean group: Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

It is assumed that each of these celestial bodies has an under-ice ocean, that is, theoretically, the conditions for the origin of life. JUICE will come to grips with the study of the physical characteristics of these satellites, the search for organic molecules and the study of the composition of the ice (remotely, through the scientific equipment on board).

The data obtained by JUICE will help analyze Jovian moons as potential targets for future manned missions. In the event of a successful launch at the scheduled time, the device will reach the Jupiter system in 2030.

All of us have seen a wide variety of space stations and space cities many times in science fiction films. But they are all unrealistic. Brian Verstig of Spacehabs is developing space station concepts based on real scientific principles that one day it will actually be possible to build. One such settlement station is Kalpana One. More precisely, an improved, modern version of the concept developed in the 1970s. Kalpana One is a cylindrical structure with a radius of 250 meters and a length of 325 meters. Approximate population level: 3,000 citizens.

Let's take a closer look at this city...

“The Kalpana One Space Settlement is the result of research into the very real limits of the structure and form of huge space settlements. Since the late 60s and up to the 80s of the last century, mankind has absorbed the idea of those shapes and sizes of possible space stations of the future, which have been shown all this time in science fiction films and in various pictures. However, many of these forms had some design flaws, which in reality would cause such structures to suffer from insufficient stability during rotation in space conditions. Other forms did not effectively use the ratio of structural and protective mass to create habitable areas,” says Verstig.

“While searching for the form that would make it possible to create a living and habitable area under the influence of overloads and have the necessary protective mass, it was found that the oblong shape of the station would become the most suitable choice. Due to the sheer size and design of such a station, very little effort or adjustment would be needed to keep it from oscillating.”

“With the same radius of 250 meters and a depth of 325 meters, the station will make two complete revolutions around itself per minute and create the feeling that a person, being in it, will experience the same feeling as if he were in the conditions of earth's gravity. And this is a very important aspect, since gravity will allow us to live longer in space, because our bones and muscles will develop in the same way as they would develop on Earth. Since such stations in the future may become a permanent habitat for people, it is very important to create conditions on them that are as close as possible to the conditions on our planet. Make it so that people can not only work on it, but also relax. And relax with frills.

“Although the physics of hitting or throwing, say, a ball will be very different in such an environment from the earth, the station will definitely offer a wide variety of sports (and not only) activities and entertainment.”

Brian Verstig is a concept designer focused on the work of future technologies and space exploration. He has worked with numerous private space companies as well as printed publications, to whom he demonstrated the concepts of what humanity will use in the future to conquer space. The Kalpana One project is one such concept.

And here are some more old concepts:

Scientific base on the moon. 1959 concept

The concept of a cylindrical colony in the view of the Soviet people. 1965

Image: Youth Technique Magazine, 1965/10

Toroidal colony concept

Image: Don Davis/NASA/Ames Research Center

Developed by the NASA aerospace agency in the 1970s of the last century. As planned, the colony would have been intended for the life of 10,000 people. The design itself was modular and would allow new compartments to be connected. It would be possible to move in them on a special transport, called ANTS.

Image and presentation: Don Davis/NASA/Ames Research Center

Spheres Bernal

Image: Don Davis/NASA/Ames Research Center

Another concept was developed at NASA Ames Research Center in the 1970s. Population: 10,000. The main idea behind the Bernal Sphere is the spherical living quarters. The populated zone is located in the center of the sphere, it is surrounded by zones for agricultural and agricultural production. Used as lighting for residential and agricultural areas sunlight, which is redirected to them by a system of solar mirror batteries. Residual heat is emitted into space by special panels. Factories and docks for spaceships are located in a special long tube in the center of the sphere.

Image: Rick Guides/NASA/Ames Research Center

Image: Rick Guides /NASA/Ames Research Center

Cylindrical colony concept developed in the 1970s

Image: Rick Guides/NASA/Ames Research Center

Designed for a population of over one million people. The idea of the concept belongs to the American physicist Gerard K. Oneil.

Image: Don Davis/NASA/Ames Research Center

Image and presentation: Rick Guides/NASA/Ames Research Center

1975 View from inside the colony, the idea of the concept belongs to Oneil. Agricultural sectors with various types vegetables and plants are located on terraces, which are installed at each level of the colony. Light for the harvest is provided by mirrors that reflect the sun's rays.

Image: NASA/Ames Research Center

Soviet space colony. 1977

Image: Youth Technique Magazine, 1977/4

Huge orbital farms like this one in the picture will produce enough food for space settlers

Image: Delta, 1980/1

Mining colony on an asteroid

Image: Delta, 1980/1

Toroidal colony of the future. 1982

Space base concept. 1984

Image: Les Bosinas/NASA/Glenn Research Center

Moon base concept. 1989

Image: NASA/JSC

The concept of a multifunctional Martian base. 1991

Image: NASA/Glenn Research Center

1995 Moon

Image: Pat Rawlings/NASA

Earth's natural satellite appears to be a great place to test equipment and prepare people for missions to Mars.

The special gravitational conditions of the Moon will be an excellent place for sports competitions.

Image: Pat Rawlings/NASA

1997 Ice mining in the dark craters of the lunar south pole opens up opportunities for human expansion inside the solar system. In this unique place, people from space colony powered by the Sun will produce fuel to send spacecraft from the lunar surface. Water from potential ice sources, or regolith, will flow inside the dome cells and prevent exposure to harmful radiation.