American Space Exploration Depends Too Much on Russia

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

American Space Exploration Depends Too Much on Russia

 

A Space Race, But On Russia's Terms

 

In order to maintain its space superiority, the United States currently relies on Russian technology ? so much so, in fact, that every once in a while American claims to space superiority seem rather hollow. This state of affairs has been brought into sharp focus in recent weeks.

 

On August 27, the Kremlin's English-language television channel, Russia Today, reported that the Security Council of the Russian Federation was considering an export ban of the venerable RD-180 rocket engine. This engine is sold exclusively to the U.S. launch firm United Launch Alliance to power its Atlas V rocket. The vehicle is considered by many industry insiders, analysts and casual observers to be the workhorse of the U.S. Launch fleet, and is regularly contracted to lift NASA, National Reconnaissance Office and United States Air Force payloads into orbit.

 

The Russian decision, therefore, would be potentially disastrous from a national security standpoint. Losing the RD-180 would have a serious effect on the United States' ability to access space, thereby impacting everything from military communications and control to the intelligence and commercial satellites enabling the United States to effectively pursue and protect its interests on the world stage.

 

 

[DocM]

Bring it on. All it would do is

1) cause NASA and the USAF to turn even more to SpaceX. Falcon 9 can already lift more than all but 2 versions of RD-180 based Atlas V, and the domestically engined Delta IV Heavy can handle those until Falcon Heavy flies.

2) cause the US to activate a contract clause that allows Rocketdyne to produce the RD-180 here

3) similar clause as 2) for the NK-33/AJ-26 by Aerojet that's used in Antares

4) accelerate the development of the RS-25, an expendable version of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). Already started for the SLS super heavy launcher.

5) cancel plans to mothball the J-2X upper stage engine.

6) accelerate plans by Rocketdyne to bring the Saturn V's massive F1b back into production. Also already in the cards for liquid version an of the SLS boosters.

Game On.

This would hurt Russia more than the US. The main reason the US bought those engines was to help keep their Russian makers in business after the revolution, with a secondary goal of preventing their engineers from moving to Iran, NK etc. Now they're moving here and to Europe.

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

well, when the President slashes NASA's budget, this stuff happens. oh, but lets continue to inflate the budget for the military for the fake war on terror.

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

The main reason the US bought those engines was to help keep their Russian makers in business

 

Aw, it's so good-hearted and philanthropic of you. It's not like the engine's specs or the build quality had anything to do with it. /s

[DocM]

It was a pragmatic decision to keep your engineers put instead of becoming hired guns. Try reading a non-Russian history book of the period - you might learn something.

This would also put a lot of people out of work at NPO Energomash, who are building one of the few Russian space products that outsiders want to buy. Hard to see hpw that helps Russia's struggling space industry.

[the better twin]

Lol patriotic dick waggling is always funny to watch.

[DocM]

There's no waggling to it. He bought another Russia Times tabloid exploitation fiction hook, line and sinker and I'm calling him on it.

[_neutrino Veteran]

When it comes to Governments they always ruin everything. And i understand that both programs are government funded but the scientists within those operations do not care much about USA or Russia more than they care about Human. once they are up on the space station or soyuz capsule they are the same team. not competing. its not the cold war anymore.

[DocM]

That's fine, but it's stuff like this where the US realizes we cannot depend on the whims of politicians etc. who think the cold war never ended. Bring on Commercial Crew and all US launchers ASAP IMO.

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

There's no waggling to it. He bought another Russia Times tabloid exploitation fiction hook, line and sinker and I'm calling him on it.

 

Russia Times tabloid?

 

The source is usnews.com

 

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform, publisher of news and information, which includes www.usnews.com and www.rankingsandreviews.com, as well as the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine.

U.S. News and World Report traces its history back to the weekly newspaper the United States News founded by David Lawrence in 1933.

[blerk]

If Russia does block sales, I bet pretty much everything that DocM has will happen will actually occur. You'd also see congressional agreement on something (for once) and I bet that they would send a few billion dollars more to NASA and the DOD in the name of national security. 

[FloatingFatMan]

Given their recent failure rates, who cares if Russia does this? At least American engineers don't force fit components upside with a hammer. :p

 

Time to go SpaceX all the way. :p

[DocM]

Russia Times tabloid?

The source is usnews.com

And US News & World Report used Russia Times as their primary source. This story has been broadly discussed in the aerospace community and the consensus is it would hurt Russia more than the US.

This because not only would it cost Russian makers jobs but ULA has a stockpile of RD-180's sufficient for ~3 years (enough to replace it). Aerojet is set up to produce the NK-33/AJ26, SpaceX and Orbital are flying more than capable launchers with bigger ones coming etc. etc. AND soon we won't have to depend on Soyuz for crewed flights.

ISTM this is more for internal political consumption. One more way Putin can try to look "manly."

[neo1911]

Maybe they should partner India and use it's space technology. could be very cost effective.

[DocM]

Atlas V currently relies on Russian engines. Atlas V is not "the US."

While it and Delta IV currently launch NASA and Air Force EELV (evolved expendable launch vehicle) payloads, that is changing with the opening up of NASA and EELV launches to New Space operators like SpaceX and Orbital Sciences. More will follow.

Delta IV, Delta IV Heavy, Falcon 9 v1.1, Falcon Heavy, SLS and the coming Blue Origin medium-heavy lifter do not use Russian engines. Atlas V could also evolve to use domestic engines.

Falcon 9 v1.1 is one launch away from qualifying for EELV launches and is already launching NASA payloads. Falcon Heavy will be able to launch 2+ EELV payloads at once, and 12.2 metric tons (2-3 communications satellites) to Mars.

Orbital Science's Antares depends on the AJ26, a derivative of the old Russian NK-33, but it will be domestically produced. They may even end up buying engines from another New Space outfit. They are already launching NASA ISS resupply flights, and with upgrades to Antares could also do EELV.

Again, Russia has mote to lose by such an action than anyone. Much more.

[PGHammer]

Atlas V currently relies on Russian engines. Atlas V is not "the US."

While it and Delta IV currently launch NASA and Air Force EELV (evolved expendable launch vehicle) payloads, that is changing with the opening up of NASA and EELV launches to New Space operators like SpaceX and Orbital Sciences. More will follow.

Delta IV, Delta IV Heavy, Falcon 9 v1.1, Falcon Heavy, SLS and the coming Blue Origin medium-heavy lifter do not use Russian engines. Atlas V could also evolve to use domestic engines.

Falcon 9 v1.1 is one launch away from qualifying for EELV launches and is already launching NASA payloads. Falcon Heavy will be able to launch 2+ EELV payloads at once, and 12.2 metric tons (2-3 communications satellites) to Mars.

Orbital Science's Antares depends on the AJ26, a derivative of the old Russian NK-33, but it will be domestically produced. They may even end up buying engines from another New Space outfit. They are already launching NASA ISS resupply flights, and with upgrades to Antares could also do EELV.

Again, Russia has mote to lose by such an action than anyone. Much more.

Exactly - Atlas V is commercial, not military.

 

This will seriously whack Russia right in the currency-exchange; if Russia is serious about hardening the ruble (Russia's currency) you don't reject exports to nations that actually HAVE harder currency.  (Russia may not like that the United States remains the hardest currency issued by any government - while their own ruble is one of the softest - but that is economic reality, and it is primarily because the Russian marketplace is hostile to imports from anywhere; the same has been true of not only the PRC, but even Japan and most of the "Asian tigers".)

 

Russia also has to take India seriously - unlike the PRC, India IS actively looking to commercialize their space venture - do they really want India to take the rest of Russia's lunch?

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

the United States remains the hardest currency issued by any government

 

Very funny.

[DocM]

Very funny.

World reserve currencies. Note that the USD is always over 60% of the total.

[TrevorLahey]

well, when the President slashes NASA's budget, this stuff happens. oh, but lets continue to inflate the budget for the military for the fake war on terror.

 

I'd look at what Nasa is doing with the money they currently get...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/06/nasa-official-walks-claim-muslim-outreach-foremost-mission/

*If you don't like the source, Search for another...

 

The sooner the Government uses private companies (chosen on accomplishments and price instead of lobbyists and politics) the better!  But chances are that will never happen...

[Civilius]

The sooner America break up ties with Putin's Russia space industry  - the better for American space industry. It's funny how American army buy Russian helicopters for 1 billion, than Russia spends this 1 billion on their "russia today" channel to spread Anti-Americanism worldwide. 

[Memphis]

The sooner America break up ties with Putin's Russia space industry  - the better for American space industry. It's funny how American army buy Russian helicopters for 1 billion, than Russia spends this 1 billion on their "russia today" channel to spread Anti-Americanism worldwide. 

I agree with sentence one. However the rest is one sided propaganda.

[The Evil Overlord]

I'd say it's good competition

 

Just like in the '60's

 

Patriotic or not, no one can deny the advancements made in tech due to opposing countries competing for penis points.

(necessity, the mother of all inventions)

[Hum]

United States currently relies on Russian technology ...

 

Complete rubbish.

 

The US has above top secret technology that makes Russia look like the Flintstones.

 

NASA is really a smoke & mirrors decoy, distracting the public from what really has been developed.

[FloatingFatMan]

Complete rubbish.

 

The US has above top secret technology that makes Russia look like the Flintstones.

 

NASA is really a smoke & mirrors decoy, distracting the public from what really has been developed.

 

Oh please Hum, show us some of this real technology...

[123456789A]

Oh please Hum, show us some of this real technology...

 

I heard Apple is working on some revolutionary space technology.