News: 2010
Sergei news, articles and sightings for 2010.
February
14/2
From NK №837. Sergei attended the consecration of a church at Star City. He is atheist according to what I have read, but as Chief of Star City I guess he couldn’t avoid the occasion!
14/02/2010, 00:05 – At Star City this summer the Church of the Transfiguration will be consecrated
In Star City today was held the first day of service at the Church of the Transfiguration. Despite the fact that the church had not yet finished, the service was led by clerics, headed by Father Iovom.
Today, many people including cosmonauts and their families attended the liturgy in the closed “Star City”. In particular, the first service was attended by the Chief of the FGBU NII Yurii Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, cosmonaut Sergei Krikalyov, and the head of the closed Star City, cosmonaut Alexander Volkov.
This wooden church, with 13 domes, was built with the participation of the brothers Kuznetsov, all parishioners of ZATO Star City, the brethren of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.
The consecration is planned this summer for its official opening.
March
12/3
Energiya photo-report: the General Designers’ Council meeting devoted to the International Space Station (ISS) Russian Segment (RS) was held at OAO S.P. Korolev Rocket-Space Corporation Energia under the chairmanship of V.A. Lopota, the President, General Designer of the Corporation. Sergei appears in photo 16.
18/3
Energiya photo-report: landing of Soyuz TMA-18. At MCC-M upon the crew evacuation from DM, a press conference for Russian and foreign journalists was held. Heads and representatives of Roscosmos, RSC Energia, foreign space agencies, prime contractors of the Russian rocket-space industry took part in it. Sergei appears in photo 8.
19/3
Roskosmos news: «В Роскосмосе угостили чаем экипаж ТПК «Союз ТМА-18»» (“Roskosmos treated the Soyuz TMA-18 crew to tea”). The traditional meeting between the next crew due to launch and the head of Roskosmos. Sergei appears in photos 4, 6, 7, 8.
22/3
From NK 844:
22/03/2010 – 16:37: TsPK Chief has called upon to create a single state group of Russian cosmonauts
A basic aim of the Cosmonaut Training Center should be to establish a single group of cosmonauts in Russia, said the TsPK Chief, the world record holder for the duration of stay in space, Sergei Krikalyov.
According to the cosmonaut, previously, when part of the squad were military, and the other part were civilians, “the creation of a single unit on the basis of the TsPK was not quite natural.” In July 2009, TsPK was transferred from the Minister of Defence to Roskosmos. Krikalyov said that now, when interdepartmental barriers have been removed, it is wise to create a single unit. The Russian squad currently has about 40 astronauts from TsPK, RSC Energiya and the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Krikalyov also stated the need to restore the infrastructure of Star City. “Star City, which we accept now from the Ministry of Defense, requires not only upgrading and modernization, it also requires the restoration of many of its components,” said the Chief of TsPK. He promised in the near future “to compile ideas about the future of TsPK,” and clearly define “what we have, and what is missing.”
April
1/4
Energiya photo-report: “Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energiya. The State Commission held its meeting at Baikonur launch site where the primary and backup crews for Soyuz TMA-18 were approved and the readiness of the space launcher system was confirmed. At the suggestion of the Head of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center S.K. Krikalev, the State Commission approved the proposed composition of the primary and backup crews.” Sergei appears in photos 1, 3, 8, 9, 11, 12.
8/4
NK photo gallery: Sergei had a photo-exhibition displayed in the Kremlin – “Paintings of the Creator”.
16/4
Roskosmos interview: «Начальник ЦПК Сергей Крикалев: «Реформируя Центр, нам удалось не допустить срыва подготовки космонавтов» » (“Head of TsPK, Sergei Krikalev: ‘we were able to prevent the breakdown of cosmonaut training during reform of the Center’ ”) on the reform of the Cosmonauts’ Training Center. Not yet translated into English.
19-21/4
Sergei is a guest speaker at the ISS Symposium in Berlin.
May
20/5
Sergei is to have a bust of him made and placed along the Avenue of Heroes in the Moskovskii Victory Park in St. Petersburg. It will be installed on 12 April 2011, Cosmonautics Day. (via NK №856)
26/5
Energiya photo-report: “The General Designers’ Review Board devoted to the Russian Segment (RS) of the International Space Station (ISS) was held at OAO S.P. Korolev Rocket & Space Corporation Energia under the chairmanship of V.A. Lopota.” Sergei appears in photo 14.
June
14/6
Energiya photo-report: “Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia. The State Commission held its meeting at Baikonur launch site where the primary and backup crews for Soyuz TMA-19 were approved and the readiness of the space launcher system was confirmed.” Sergei appears in photos 1, 9.
18/6
Via Roskosmos news:
Roscosmos Representatives will Take Part in St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2010
International Economic Forum 2010 is taking place in St. Petersburg on June 17–19, 2010.
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is a Russia-based non-profit foundation best known for its annual meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, which brings together top business leaders, international political leaders, selected intellectuals and journalists to discuss the most pressing issues facing the world, including health and the environment.SPIEF is an annual economic summit for Russia and the CIS states. In 2005, some 3 000 people from 64 countries participated in the Forum. Until 2006 the Forum was conducted by the Inter-parliamentary Assembly of CIS Member States and the Federation Council of the Russian Federation. Since then, following a Presidential decree, the Forum has been organized by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation.
The Official opening ceremony of the Forum is to take place on June 18. Welcoming Address will come from Elvira Nabiullina, Minister of Economic Development, Russian Federation, Chair of the Forum Organizing Committee.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is also expected to make a speech at the Forum on June 18.
The Forum will host session “SPACE TRAVEL – AN EVERYDAY BUSINESS?” to discuss new approaches in public-private partnerships promise to have an even bigger impact on space programmes over the coming decades.
The topics to be raised are:
- What are some of the most important private-sector opportunities in space travel?
- How is extraterrestrial entrepreneurship creating new business opportunities in space?
- Are there prospects for a technological breakthrough that will make space travel easier?
Moderator: James B. Meigs, Editor-in-Chief, Popular Mechanics Magazine
Panelists:
- Anatoly Perminov, Head, Russian Federal Space Agency
- Esther Dyson, Chairman, EDventure Holdings
- Vladimir Gruzdev, Deputy of State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
- Sergei Krikalev, Russian Cosmonaut
- Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman and CEO, Arianespace
- Vitaly Lopota, President-Designer General, RSC “Energia”
- Jan Welter Timkrans, CEO and majority shareholder, MindArk PE AB.
– Roscosmos PAO
Select assertions and opinions:
- One of the key “break-through technologies” yet to be developed is application of power facilities using nuclear fuel. They will increase speed 20-fold. Development of relevant launching infrastructure will be required.
- The government should develop and finance strategic space programs (e.g. flight to Mars program), commercial companies may carry out operating tasks (such as delivery of cargo to the orbit).
- Space is a risky business, but risk is not an obstacle for certain people, therefore there will always be private businesses keen to capitalize on these opportunities.
- The commercial component in space programs is currently prevailing in telecommunication systems, in the systems of earth remote sensing, meteorology systems, while it less significant in the manned missions.
- By 2011, Shuttle will suspend their operations. Therefore RosKosmos has taken the responsibility to deliver astronauts and cargo to the orbit. It is also desired that some other country would have similar systems reserved to perform space-links.
- ISS can operate without investments up to 2020 – and with additional investments, even up to 2028. Within the next ten years it may be handed over to commercial organizations, like Space Adventure, which will perform manned missions to the station.
- We will need 20-30 years before people start living in Mars or somewhere else on a permanent basis – creating a second living environment would be established other than the Earth.
- Space tourism segment has good chances to become sufficiently notable.
Selected quotes:
“We have learned to live in space, we have learned to work in space. So far it is more an environment for professionals, but non-professionals gradually start to use it too.”
– Sergei Krikalev
“Privatization may be implemented in space, the same way it happened in the Internet.”
– Esther Dyson
“ At present we are at the edge of the next quality step from our original habitat, reaching further into space.”
– Sergei Krikalev
“Commercial area in development of manned missions is interesting for RosKosmos, and we support it.”
– Anatoly Perminov