We will have our own SpaceX: Roscosmos has ordered the creation of a reusable spacecraft from a private company
Founded in May 2019, the private company Reusable Transport Space Systems (MTKS, authorized capital – 400 thousand rubles) signed a cooperation agreement with Roscosmos for 5 years. Within the framework of the agreement, MTKS pledged to create a reusable spacecraft using composite materials, capable of delivering and returning cargo from the ISS at half the price of SpaceX.
Apparently, we are talking about the creation of the ship “Argo”, which is described on the MTKS website. It is designed for more than 10 launches, will offer 11 m 3 of the usable volume of the sealed cargo compartment, will allow to deliver up to 2 tons of payload into orbit, and return up to 1 ton. The device can be in autonomous flight for up to 30 days or up to 300 days as part of a manned orbital station. The structure is composed of more than 50% composites, which reduces weight while providing the required strength and stiffness.
The Argo will be equipped with a combined propulsion system in the lower part: it provides orbital maneuvering, orientation in space, gas-dynamic launch control, rocket-dynamic landing, and, if necessary, withdrawal from the emergency launch vehicle. When landing on an unprepared surface, a retractable shock-absorbing shield can be used for safety.
Recall, although the American SpaceX conceived its Dragon ship as a reusable rocket-dynamic landing, the company has not yet implemented this. Now both the cargo and the manned version of the vehicle land using a parachute system.
The State Corporation and MTKS will participate in the creation and development of a technological and production base for the design and manufacture of a spacecraft, as well as in maintaining and improving the existing design, production, and testing assets of Roscosmos.
Within the framework of cooperation, it is also planned to create a modern production base for the manufacture of parts and structures from composite materials. Research and development work will also be carried out in order to establish serial production of composite parts and structures for their use in the rocket and space industry.
The five-year contract was signed on September 1, 2020, with automatic renewal under the same conditions if either of the parties does not wish to end cooperation. This was reported by the RBK resource, and the authenticity of the information was confirmed by the state corporation. The MTKS company is registered in Korolev near Moscow. It is headed by Dmitry Kakhno, who, according to SPARK, is also the head of Energia-Logistics (a subsidiary of RSC Energia, owned by Roscosmos). The beneficiary of the MTKS is one of the founders of the Space Research Agency of Kazakhstan and the former CEO of S7 Space Sergey Popov.
By the way, in July, Mr. Kahn spoke at a parliamentary hearing with the report on “Creating a Space Shuttle with the use of public-private partnership mechanisms. Proposals for the inclusion of legal novelties in the legislative acts of the Russian Federation, designed to simplify and facilitate public-private partnerships in the aerospace industry. “
