🚀 go-pugleaf

     Glavcosmos general manager Dimitri Poletayev, in charge of marketing space 
material, said that there was uncertainty in the design of the Mir 2 station 
to replace Mir.  Five expansion modules will be added to Mir at about 6 month 
intervals starting in April, and reaching competition in 1991.  If Mir proves 
sufficient for their needs at that point the replacement station will be 
delayed, and they will not operate both station simultaneously. (Defense Daily 
Jan 6).  Connected with this Space Commerce Corp. is now selling 20 meter (66 
ft.) resolution images taken from Mir and earth observation satellites covering 
20 Km (12 mi) squares or 5 meter (16 ft.) for 5 km (3 mi) square pictures.  
Digital data can be delivered to a customer's ground station within 3 hours. 
(Soviet Aerospace, Jan 9 and AW&ST Jan 9).
   The Russians announced at a space power conference that they have flown 
twice an advanced thermionic orbital nuclear reactor design called Topaz.  
Thermionic reactors produce electricity directly within their core and are 
more efficient than the older style liquid metal cooled reactors used on 
Soviet Rodar radar satellites, or the US's similar thermoelctric SP-100 system 
(scheduled to fly in 1993).  The two missions, Cosmos 1818 and 1867, has 
the reactors operating for 6 and 12 months, compared to the 2-3 months of a 
Rodar system.  These 5-10 tonne satellites will produce several hundred 
kilowatts for up to 5 years in future missions.  In addition the Soviets are 
looking at a nuclear propulsion/power system for a manned Mars mission.  In a 
typical mission a 665 day round trip would using Venus gravity assist an allow 
along stay at Mars. The Russians have stated these new reactors will also be
offered for sale.  (AW&ST Jan 16)
     The USSR's first launch of the year used a Proton booster to put Glonass 
navigation satellites and an Etalon laser geodesic satellite.  The Etalon was 
described as a 1.4 Tonne hollow sphere 1.3 meters (51 inches) in diameter 
covered with about 2000 quartz tetrahedral shaped prisms, which reflect laser 
beams back towards their source.  This allows very fine measurements of the 
earth's gravity field and of course can be used as a military laser target.  
Note the stated ground laser sources are at Sary Shagan and Dushanbe (the 
latter site figuring prominently in Tom Claney's new spy thriller "The Cardinal 
of the Kermlin").  Such candor was unusual in such a military related system 
prior to now.  Previous Glonass launches have sometimes contained a third 
satellite which went into a strange orbit - possibly they were similar 
systems. Total Soviet launches for 1989 were 90, the lowest since 1981, but 
these included the flight of Buran, and the manning of Mir for the whole year.  
(Defense Daily Jan 13, 18) 
    Developing advanced nuclear reactors for planetary missions, and 
selling orbital data from a space station.  When a non market oriented 
economy does that you know that space is viewed as a money making venture by 
them.  With the grounding of the Discovery today due, to moisture in the main 
engines causing the cracking of the bearing race way, it will be a while 
before the US catches up. The Russians are moving in this area, will the USA 
join them.


                                                Glenn Chapman
                                                MIT Lincoln Lab