Comments on: Edwards more optimistic about NASA authorization, less so about other legislation

By: RockyMtnSpace

RockyMtnSpace — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 01:52:30 +0000

RD-180’s delivered as scheduled. Looks like some here reckoned wrong. Sucks when reality up and bites you on the ass.

By: Dick Eagleson

Dick Eagleson — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 05:39:01 +0000

Yeah, it was. The most interesting part was the Aug. 20 date for expected delivery of the next pair of RD-180’s. That’s two weeks away. The day of reckoning is even closer than I had thought.

As for the rest, it ain’t Roscosmos’s call. It ain’t NPO Energomash’s call. It ain’t RD Amross’s call. It ain’t ULA’s call. It ain’t Rogozin’s call. It’s Putin’s call.

By: RockyMtnSpace

RockyMtnSpace — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 02:01:58 +0000

Hmmmm … That is interesting.

By: MORE REALITY

MORE REALITY — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 17:26:04 +0000

Interesting article in Space News. Seems ULA had a chat with the Russians and their rhetoric about the RD-180. Now the biggest enemy of the RD-180 is Congress.

http://spacenews.com/article/military-space/41507notwithstanding-sanctions-ula-standing-by-for-rd-180-deliveries-through

By: Dick Eagleson

Dick Eagleson — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 23:18:42 +0000

Russia has not hesitated to disrupt energy shipments to nations, including Ukraine, to which it wanted to apply a touch of the quirt. These involved far larger foregone revenues than will a few fiddly RD-180’s.

By: Dick Eagleson

Dick Eagleson — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 23:15:50 +0000

If Russia were interested in brinksmanship over the RD-180s, theyâ€™ve already had plenty of opportunities to stall the delivery, but havenâ€™t.

As the next RD-180 delivery scheduled since Russia started mucking about in Ukraine isn’t supposed to be until sometime this month and the next is supposed to be in October, it’s far from clear to me what other “opportunities” Russia has had to stall delivery.

As for what’s going on inside Russia anent their space industry, they’re re-nationalizing it. All the old Soviet-era design bureaus and manufacturing apparats that went commercial after 1991 are being reeled back in. Simple as that.

By: Henry Vanderbilt

Henry Vanderbilt — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 18:29:38 +0000

That sounds like an encouraging sign.

Then again, it may not be safe to assume the situation there is stable. Apparently there’s some sort of ongoing power struggle, with the Russian government working to gain control over RSC Energia
http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/08/02/embattled-rsc-energia-president-lopota-suspended-post/
and from a year ago
http://www.interpretermag.com/americans-may-lose-russian-rocket-engines/

As best I can tell, Rogozin and Roskosmos just significantly increased their influence over Energia and its subsidiary Energomash. Tough to say whether their ongoing questioning of RD-180 exports is just a tactic in this takeover or something they really want to do. (Likely some mix.) I’d still say the way to bet is this next batch shows up, but I wouldn’t commit to huge odds on it. Interesting times.

By: Ad Astra

Ad Astra — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 17:57:55 +0000

NPO Energomash is hotfire testing engine 74T today (8/4), which is the fourth of the five RD-180s scheduled to be delivered this year.

If Russia were interested in brinksmanship over the RD-180s, they’ve already had plenty of opportunities to stall the delivery, but haven’t.

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 01:42:33 +0000

Since Bigelow leases his habitats and doesn’t sell them, I wonder how willing he will be to send one on an SLS? I predict he won’t, due to the aforementioned issues of reliability and lack of testing.
Cheers.

By: Henry Vanderbilt

Henry Vanderbilt — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 23:45:38 +0000

I think the way to bet is still that the next batch of engines does show up, since Russia’s interest lies more in minimizing further economic disruption rather than escalating it. But, that’s what makes horse races interesting.