The first crew will travel to the
Russian Orbital Station immediately after the gateway and nodal
modules are orbited, which will take place about six months after
the launch of the first module, Kozhevnikov said.
"Pursuant to the conceptual design, the plan is as follows: the
NEM module is orbited and six months later a TGK-MM space freighter
carrying small modules will travel to it to bring the gateway and
nodal units. Immediately after the gateway and nodal modules are
orbited, a crewed flight is planned," the ROS chief designer
said.
Russian crews will deal with re-docking the gateway module,
unloading and installing additional equipment. The first launch of
a manned spacecraft will take place in the uncrewed mode with its
docking while a second spaceship will bring a crew to the national
orbiter, he elaborated.
Work on space freighter for ROS to begin in 2024
The work on creating an upgraded Progress space freighter for
the Russian Orbital Station is set to begin next year, the ROS
chief designer said.
"Its creation [the work on creating a Progress-ROS space
freighter] is due to begin in 2024 as a separate part of the ROS
project so that a Progress resupply ship can travel to the national
orbiter in the first half of 2028 immediately after the launch of
the NEM [research and power] module," Kozhevnikov said.
By now, specialists have finished work on the space freighter's
design, he said.
"As part of the conceptual design, books have been issued on the
Progress spaceship upgrade and on what to do with this spacecraft
so that it can travel to the ROS and all necessary upgrades have
been outlined, calculated and shown," the ROS chief designer
said.
Ground specialists to maintain two communication channels with
ROS
Two communication channels will ensure constant communications
of the ground personnel with the future Russian Orbital Station,
the project's chief designer said.
"We envisage two communication channels: one channel through
ground-based stations similar to the RSPI [radio-technical data
transmission] system available on the [ISS] Russian segment and
through Luch communications satellites. They are also envisaged in
this project. We have these communications in orbit practically
round-the-clock," he said.
Available Luch satellites are sufficient for communications but
more of them will be needed for making a reserve and replenishing
the orbital cluster, the ROS chief designer said.
"The issue of creating high-speed inter-satellite communications
lines and communications with ground-based stations is extremely
important and there are a lot of people who try to deal with this
in addition to piloted programs, particularly, the issue of
creating special new rebroadcasting satellites. We are also ready
to participate in this work by offering ROS facilities as a
platform for testing technologies and carrying out experiments in
this area," he stressed.
Requirements for ROS cosmonauts largely to match criteria for
work on ISS
There will be no major difference between the requirements for
ROS cosmonauts and those existing for work on the International
Space Station, the project's chief designer said.
"I can say that this will hardly involve anything new because
the cosmonauts' activity will not change due to orbit. Naturally,
the station will be more computerized and will get digital control.
In this regard, there will be a difference but hardly fundamental,"
he pointed out.
Cosmonauts should be able to operate equipment, make spacewalks,
carry out maintenance, repairs, do physical exercises, he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with young
scientists and space industry staff on October 26 that the first
module of the Russian Orbital Station could be launched in 2027 as
the International Space Station used up its resource potential. The
future national orbiter should maximally ensure Russia's interests
in the security and economic spheres, the Russian leader
stressed.