News Russia to discontinue Proton

[IronRain]

The Russian Proton rocket, the Soviet Union’s and then Russia’s primary medium-lift workhorse rocket, is finally being discontinued after a remarkable 53-year run. A Proton rocket launched the very first space station ever into orbit (and every Soviet and Russian one since). A combination of highly toxic fuels, a launch site outside of Russia, and competition from SpaceX all sealed the Proton’s fate.

[...]

Sources:
https://jalopnik.com/russia-will-stop-building-their-53-year-old-workhorse-p-1827147030 (from Lambo in Discord).

 

[4throck]

Sad to see Baikonur closing down.

 

[Urwumpe]

All good things must come to an end. It was always a toxic beast, but still, I don't see any successor coming soon.

 

[4throck]

Vostochny is located at 51N. Baikonour was 46N, some say there's no practical difference...

Let's see what comes out of it.
Probably nothing, I'm never optimistic about space.

No bucks, no Buck Rogers as they say.

 

[Yuri_Gagarin]

Wait baikinour is closing down. Damn it. Ive always wanted to see Soyuz.

 

[IronRain]

It's not closed yet

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Soooo... Where will they launch Progress missions to the ISS from, then?

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Soooo... Where will they launch Progress missions to the ISS from, then?

I believe they are launching Soyuz (and Progress?) from Korou.

 

[Urwumpe]

I believe they are launching Soyuz (and Progress?) from Korou.

Nyet. Not planned.

They only launch satellites with Soyuz launchers from there, no infrastructure for Soyuz-derived spacecraft around. But Russia is working on a successor for Progress and Soyuz... which will come in the future when ITER is producing net energy...

 

[4throck]

ISS will end soon, with no replacement. I guess the Soyuz / Progress will end by then.

 

[Unstung]

Sad to see Baikonur closing down.

Baikonur is leased to Russia until 2050. I don't think Russia would just abandon it so soon.

ISS will end soon, with no replacement. I guess the Soyuz / Progress will end by then.

Hopefully the ISS will be around for another 10 years. Also, the first module of the Chinese space station is expected to launch soon. Europe is cooperating with the Chinese.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Baikonur is leased to Russia until 2050. I don't think Russia would just abandon it so soon.



Hopefully the ISS will be around for another 10 years. Also, the first module of the Chinese space station is expected to launch soon. Europe is cooperating with the Chinese.

That doesn't mean that they'll use Baikonur. If the Chinese use a lower inclination orbit, the ESA will have to use Korou for any missions to the CSS.

 

[Unstung]

That doesn't mean that they'll use Baikonur. If the Chinese use a lower inclination orbit, the ESA will have to use Korou for any missions to the CSS.

European astronauts hope to get seats on the Shenzhou.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

European astronauts hope to get seats on the Shenzhou.

Ahhh. That makes more sense.

 

[4throck]

Russia plans to launch from it's own territory only:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostochny_Cosmodrome

10 years are just around the corner in "spaceflight time".
Sure, that gives you about 30 Progress and 40 Soyuz ISS flights, but it's a dead end.

No further Soyuz versions are planned. They are working on a new ship:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_(spacecraft))

But I think it's mock-ups only, no hardware exists.