Due to limited funding for space programs, alternative solutions have to be found. Two simple options come to mind, if not a complete solution to the monetary issue, then a significant reduction in the severity of the problem. These are two sides of the same coin: the first is the choice of priorities and austerity on secondary projects, the second is extrabudgetary funding through the implementation of commercial initiatives, one way or another related to space.
Instead of persistent daily work on the growth of the real economy, the Ministry of Finance has chosen a very dangerous and vicious path of least resistance, namely, a radical reduction in budget expenditures. Social programs, science and culture, medicine, infrastructure projects have already come under the knife … The State Armament Program and the Federal Space Program are under the threat of cuts. If they just want to halve the first, the second has already been sequestered and are threatening to cut further.
The cosmodrome is cheaper
The need to moderate industry spending is a forced matter and does not depend on the wishes of the leaders of Roscosmos. But before talking about this, you should clearly define what you can save on and what you absolutely cannot. Popular wisdom says: do not save by buying cheap - save by not buying too much. The approach is clear, it remains only to correctly determine what is really superfluous. Let's start with the spaceports. Without them, there can be no cosmonautics as such. The level of achievements in the exploration of extraterrestrial space directly depends on their stable functioning. And they are also one of the most expensive items in the space budget. Their maintenance and development requires huge resources. Therefore, it is important to avoid miscalculations in the creation and modernization of infrastructure.
Let's start with the Vostochny cosmodrome. Information about the price of its construction is contradictory. According to official data, the creation of the cosmodrome was tentatively estimated at 450 billion rubles, but the practice of erecting such iconic structures indicates a steady trend towards a significant excess of the initial estimate. Especially considering the remoteness of the facility from many suppliers of equipment and materials. Meanwhile, the costs of the new cosmodrome can be realistically, if not reduced, then at least extended in time, and without disrupting the delivery of the main facilities and, as a consequence, the planned launch dates.
For example, it is quite possible to postpone the opening of a full-fledged airport on Vostochny, which will make financing and the construction process more rhythmic. This will allow us to win 8-10 years. In the future, when mass launches begin, including commercial and with international participation, the turn will come to the airport. In the meantime, for the fast delivery of goods to the launch complex (SC), it is proposed to use the excellent military airfield "Ukrainka", located 70 kilometers along the highway "Amur".
At first it is quite possible to confine oneself to one SC for the heavy launch vehicle "Angara". And when launches become more frequent, it will be clear whether a second is required or not.
At Baikonur, the situation will clear up by this autumn after Kazakhstan has selected and approved the final version of the development of the Baiterek project. Then we will understand what to leave in use, and which objects can be safely abandoned. There is an option to transfer to Kazakhstan a part of the ground infrastructure with a simultaneous reduction in the rent for using the site.
At the Plesetsk cosmodrome, the military would like to receive a second SC for the Angara. However, taking into account the realities of state funding, it is more reasonable to partially "reformat" the plans of the Space Forces. Namely: during the Soviet period, as many as four SC for the Soyuz launch vehicle functioned here. Now it is planned to leave two. The question arises, why not remake one of the remaining ones for a light version of the Angara launch vehicle? For now, he has to start with the SC, which is designed for a heavy carrier. There are risks of destruction of expensive ground infrastructure (in case of a launch vehicle accident). The recent explosion of the American Antares, which completely destroyed the UK, showed the reality of this threat. Taking into account the already existing groundwork, it will not require a lot of money to remake the Soyuz launch into a light rocket. Such modernization will cost approximately ten times less than the creation of an additional SC for the heavy "Angara".
Appointees on stream
A very dangerous trend of recent times is the approval of the heads of enterprises in the industry of people who do not have a special technical education. As a rule, these are economists, managers, lawyers … The desire of the Roscosmos leadership to see trusted people in these posts is understandable. More precisely, it is understandable from the point of view of personal connections, but absolutely unacceptable for business. It is highly doubtful that appointees, who only know how to steer cash flows, are able to competently solve complex technical problems.
Moreover, many newly-minted directors view their fiefdom solely as a feeding trough, not particularly caring about the business entrusted to them, which they do not really understand. As a rule, they begin their activities in office with the appointment of their loved ones exorbitant and unreasonable salaries. The predecessors, honored people, doctors of sciences and even academicians never dreamed of such awards. As an example, we can cite the information that made a lot of noise about the new leadership of the Voronezh KBKhA, who assigned themselves salaries that clearly do not correspond to the average for the enterprise.
Unfortunately, this is becoming common in the domestic industry. In recent years, a whole class of managers has emerged, incapable, but ready to manage an enterprise of any profile, just to have access to money. At the same time, the impression is created that the young galaxy of "shock workers of capitalist labor" is absolutely not going to bear responsibility for the results of their activities.
The Roscosmos leadership is simply obliged to take this issue under strict control and put things in order as quickly as possible. After all, we are talking about many millions of rubles of cost overruns.
It also seems reasonable to have a system of personal responsibility for managers at all levels of management, similar to the one introduced in power structures. If the appointed employee did not cope with his duties (for example, he thwarted the state order), not only he himself will be dismissed, but also the top manager who approved the failed case in the position.
Go to Mars light
A promising direction is the search for economical access to outer space. Now, according to rough estimates, putting one communication satellite into geostationary orbit costs the customer 60-80 million dollars.
A solar electric motor unit (SEDU) using a heat engine, developed at the Research Center. Keldysh, allows doubling the efficiency of the launch vehicle and reducing the cost of launching spacecraft by the same amount. It is actually used as an upper stage. Implementation of the development will allow delivering two heavy satellites instead of one to the geostationary orbit in one launch. So far, only the European company Arianspace has been able to do this on the world market of launch services. With the help of the SEDU, our Proton-M launch vehicle, and then Angara, will be more than competitive in comparison with European, Chinese and Indian counterparts, not to mention the prohibitively expensive American (excluding the Ilona Mask launch vehicle) and Japanese ones.
SEDU fits perfectly with light carriers. At the same time, there are unique opportunities for the delivery of spacecraft weighing half a tonne using the Rokot conversion launch vehicle to the geostationary orbit, which was previously simply excluded due to the insufficient energy efficiency of the carrier.
How can we not recall the half-forgotten concept of "Pragmatic space", developed in the 1990s, which were hungry for the economy of the country, by the NPO Mashinostroyenia corporation. It was supposed to make inexpensive small-class satellites and use conversion launch vehicles for their delivery into orbit. And today, many of the directions indicated in the "Pragmatic Space" remain quite relevant. Yes, over the past years, hundreds of strategic missiles removed from combat duty have been trivially disposed of. But by the beginning of the 2020s, almost all of the remaining Soviet-made missiles will be released. There will be something to fly!
Breakthrough development of the I. C. Keldysh allows you to send light scientific spacecraft into deep space: to the Moon, Mars, Venus … It is enough to make an apparatus and launch it on a ready-made and virtually free conversion launch vehicle. Thus, Russian scientists will receive a satellite in Mars orbit at a cost of at least ten times less than with the traditional approach. The unique design results in corresponding cost savings. And now only Russia has such an opportunity.
Skyscraper with parachute
It is safe to say that in each of the enterprises subordinate to Roscosmos, there are breakthrough developments. There are whole deposits of them, and they can be used both for their intended purpose and in the civil sphere. It would not hurt to conduct an audit to identify the most promising.
Let's discuss just one. Khimki NPO named after Lavochkin, ten years ago, presented a unique inflatable device "Rescuer" for the emergency evacuation of people from high-rise buildings. The development is based on space technology, but is designed to solve purely terrestrial problems, making it possible to guarantee the rescue of people from a skyscraper engulfed in fire. I immediately recall the events of September 11, 2001, when terrorists destroyed the New York Twin Towers. Then about 3,000 people died. Most are jumping out of windows from great heights. If the Rescuer had been there, the number of victims would have been ten times less.
The device itself, when folded, looks like a knapsack and does not require special skills when used. In case of danger, it must be put on your back like a life jacket, go to the balcony or sit on the window with your back out and pull the lever. The gas from the can will fill the device, which will become rigid and tapered, similar to a large badminton shuttlecock. The rescued person himself will be inside this "shuttlecock", which, when descending, will protect him from fire and blows against the building structure. After a few seconds, the rescued person will land safely. Isn't that great ?!
But what is the fate of the invention? The Rescuer device has been repeatedly demonstrated at exhibition sites in Russia and abroad. The invention made a splash primarily with its originality. Some famous people tried to lobby for its production, but things, as they say, are still there. The famous pilot Magomed Tolboyev, Hero of Russia, offered to independently test the device when descending from the stratosphere, but the financiers turned out to be stronger than this respected and courageous person. There was no money even for testing.
Meanwhile, a 1: 1 scale model with a human dummy was tested by dropping it from various heights. Interestingly, the larger it is, the safer the flight and landing. We are seeing a boom in skyscraper construction. They are being built especially actively in China and the Middle East, and in Russia too. However, no one guarantees one hundred percent safety of their inhabitants. So the demand for the "Rescuer" lies, as they say, on the surface.
And the last - how much money is required for the serial production of the "Rescuer". In a personal conversation, one of the developers named a ridiculous amount: less than two million dollars. Agree, these are just crumbs that will pay off with lightning speed, given the concern for the safety of the "inhabitants of heaven", at least abroad.
There are a lot of such innovative developments. We can't even imagine how many there are.
In conclusion, I propose to call on all interested government agencies, public and commercial organizations, citizens who have valuable thoughts on the development of astronautics, to actively engage in the search for new projects and solutions, at least at the stage of discussing areas of work. To this end, an open competition for ideas in the field of exploration of extraterrestrial space and more should be announced. There is only one criterion: projects should be relatively inexpensive, real in terms of complexity and execution time.
