Roscosmos
Budget proposal, ISS partners provide new momentum for lunar Gateway
NASA’s plans to develop a crewed facility in lunar orbit to support exploration of the moon got boosts both in the White House’s budget request for the agency as well as from the partners in the International Space Station.
NASA planning to purchase additional Soyuz seats
NASA is considering buying two additional seats on Soyuz spacecraft to ensure a continued American presence on the International Space Station amid worries about additional delays in commercial crew flights.
Bridenstine and Rogozin speak by phone after canceled visit
Ten days after NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine effectively canceled a visit to the United States by the head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, the two spoke by phone Jan. 14 to smooth over differences between the two.
Crewed Soyuz flights set to resume after Russia blames close call on final-assembly error
With the cause of the Oct. 11 failure identified, crewed launches of Soyuz-FG launch vehicles are set to resume. The next launch is scheduled for Dec. 3
Arianespace Soyuz launch schedule unaffected by Russian MS-10 failure
An Arianespace Soyuz mission will launch Nov. 7 without any delays resulting from the failure of a crewed, Russian-operated Soyuz launch earlier this month, Arianespace said Oct. 30.
Bridenstine confident in Soyuz return to flight despite quality concerns
Despite concerns about quality control in Russia’s human spaceflight program in the wake of two incidents, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said he was confident the Soyuz would return to flight safely by the end of this year.
Soyuz investigators hone in on booster separation, promise conclusions Oct. 20
Roscosmos now says one of the Soyuz rocket’s four strap-on boosters failed to properly separate and nicked the core stage.
Soyuz demonstrates finesse in flight and failure
Thursday’s dramatic launch abort was the first time a crewed spacecraft bound for the ISS has suffered a mission critical failure. But it was not the first time that a manned Soyuz rocket has been forced to activate its launch abort system.
NASA plays down Soyuz investigation controversy
NASA continues to downplay any concerns about the status of current or future Soyuz missions even as rumors continue in Russian media about the cause of a hole in the Soyuz docked to the station.
ISS partners show interest in station extension
NASA’s partners in the International Space Station are showing a growing interest in extending the station’s operations beyond 2024 regardless of NASA initiatives to end direct funding of the station around that time.
Russian official sounds skeptical note about Gateway
A Russian space official said Oct. 1 that while his country is interested in lunar exploration, it’s not satisfied with participating in NASA’s lunar Gateway program as currently structured.
A hole in NASA-Roscosmos relations
The prevailing mood toward the United States in Moscow has certainly been a factor fueling the speculations NASA and Roscosmos now seek to tamp down.
Bridenstine and Rogozin to meet in October as Soyuz investigation continues
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine will meet with his Russian counterpart next month as an investigation into an air leak in a Soyuz spacecraft docked to the International Space Station continues.
Proton Medium, International Launch Services’ answer to Falcon 9, put on “indefinite hold”
Russia has suspended development of the Proton Medium rocket that U.S.-based International Launch Services (ILS) began marketing two years ago as its answer to SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
Putin challenges Roscosmos to “drastically improve” on space and launch
Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Roscosmos to meet deadlines for the nation’s future Angara, Soyuz-5 and “super-heavy class” rockets while fixing quality-control issues that have dogged Russian spacecraft and launch vehicles in recent years.
