Visitors
to the Paris Air Show are being treated to a full-scale mockup of Russia's
proposed Kliper spaceliner.
The
multi-use vehicle is one piece of Russia's Rosaviakosmos display at the Pairs Air Show now
underway until June 19. Rosaviakosmos is Russia's
Federal Space Agency, with the Kliper design a
product of that country's Energia
Rocket and Space Corporation.
The exhibit includes a look
inside the Kliper (or Clipper in English), showing the
placement of passengers behind a flight crew.
Russia
is touting the spacecraft as a replacement for their workhorse spacecraft, the
Soyuz. Much like NASA's Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), future destinations for
the Kliper are said to be the International Space Station, the Moon, as well as
Mars, according to Russian officials. It could also serve as an emergency
rescue craft for space station crews.
Tourist-class
At
the Paris Air Show, Anatoly Perminov, head of Russia's Rosaviakosmos, has made note that both Europe and Japan have
expressed interest in joining in on Kliper development. However, decisions were
still to be made as to how they could contribute to project, according to RIA
Novosti, a Russian news agency.
Russian space officials forecast
that the Kliper can carry six people: two pilots with the other four seats for
astronauts or space tourists. In addition, the spaceship can haul up to 1,540
pounds (700 kilograms) of cargo.
The
Kliper could be in service in the 2010-2011
timeframe. Novosti has also quoted Perminov as saying that the Kliper
can be launched from European as well as Russian spaceports.
Kliper's launch vehicle
would be a Russian Onega rocket--a modified version of the Soyuz carrier rocket.
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