The possibility of launching Russia’s manned Kliper vehicle from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) French Guiana spaceport is being discussed by ESA and Russia’s Federal Space Agency.
At a recent meeting ESA director general Jean-Jacques Dordain was presented with a proposal for a 392t (862,400lb) Kliper booster launch system.
This was the first time ESA was made aware of a proposed Soyuz-3 booster, an upgraded Soyuz-2.
The winged Kliper would weigh 17.8t with its escape thruster adaptor, or 14t without it. The manned vehicle could reach an orbit of 200km (125 miles) at an inclination of 51°. This means it could service the International Space Station from French Guiana.
The Soyuz-3 booster would have three stages. The first and second stages would have liquid oxygen and kerosene engines. The third stage would use a more powerful liquid-oxygen/liquid-hydrogen engine.
“It’s being discussed at a high political level. Part of the attraction for us is launching it from French Guiana. But it’s not necessarily going to be the winged version. In a couple of weeks I am going to Russia to discuss what exactly we will do during the two-year preparatory phase,” says Alan Thirkettle, ESA’s head of development.
Source: Flight International
