Scientific Conference XXVIII-th Academic Conference
on Astronautics
Analytical review
(Moscow, Russia, January, 2004) A.K.Medvedeva
Institute of Natural Sciences and Technique History of
RAS, Moscow, 103012, Russia e-mail: akm@history.ihst.ru For three days from 28 till 30 of January 2004 Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Space Agency and RAS Committee on the elaboration of scientific heritage of space exploration carried out the annual XXVIII Academic Conference on astronautics, dedicated to the Memory of Academician S.P. Korolyov and other russian scientists - pioneers of space exploration. They represent the all-Russia event of great significance, in which scientists and specialists (experts) of Academic and sectorial institutes, scientific-production enterprises, higher-educational Institutions and other Russian and CIS Institutions take part. The space-rocket community of Russia and CIS was represented at the Conference by more than 150 organizations, more than 700 scientists and specialists presented their reports, the overall amount of participants corresponded to 1500 people. The Conference opening and plenary session took place in the assembly hall of the Scientists' House. This year Moscow State Technical University of N.E. Bauman provided its resources for the majority of sectional sessions. The Conference geography is rather vast - these are representatives from Moscow and towns located nearby: Korolyov, Khimki, Golitsino, Zvyozdnij gorodok, Yubilejnoe, Reutovo, as well as from St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Tula, Chelyabinsk, Severodvinsk (Archangelsk region), Petrozavodsk, Pytalovo (Pskovsk region), Astrakhan, Samara, Kazan, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Kostroma, Bryansk, Omsk, Perm, Nikolaevsk (Volgogradsk region), Saratov, Kaluga, Gagarin (Smolensk region), Dyups (Yakutia), Kiev, Zhitomir, Dnepropetrovsk (the Ukraine), Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Bajkonur (Kazakhstan) and others. At
the Conference the representatives of scientific-engineering publicity
discussed the results of research in the following major scientific branches of
modern astronautics:
scientific heritage of space exploration
pioneers and design school of space-rocket technology;
fundamental astronautics problems and the state
of its separate branches development;
astronautics in the solution of problems of
social-economic and strategic development of modern society;
humanitarian aspects of astronautics;
investigations in the history of space science
and technology. The
above-mentioned scientific branches were represented at the Conference by 17
Sections in different thematic problems of modern astronautics. The
year, passed after the XXVII Conference, was commemorated by the events which
have already become a part of the world astronautics history and will
significantly influence its further development. The first of these events is
the tragedy of "Columbia". On the first of February 2003 while
finishing the space flight at the height of 61km the space ship was destroyed
as a result of gas-dynamic and heat loads. Six astronauts, the USA citizens and
the first Israel astronaut died. Till the renewal of flights of American
spacecrafts "Shuttl" (according to current optimistic predictions it will be
the end of 2004) the activity of International Space Station (ISS) is supported
only by the Russian space transport system: launch-vehicle "Soyuz-U",
pilot spaceships "Soyuz TM" and cargo space-vehicles
"Progress". In connection with the finish of "Shuttl"
spacecrafts flights the ships
"Progress" raise the orbit of the International Station by its
engines (jets), saving it from dangerous descent. On the fourteenth of January
the USA President reported in the headquarter of NASA. He proclaimed the new
global prolonged objective for the American astronautics for near 20-30 years,
having put forward the creation of constantly active bases on the Moon and following
this piloted expeditions to Mars as a global long-term Program. The Americans
consider the successful landing of two Mars rovers onto the Mars surface, which
are already transmitting colorful sights of the Mars surface to the Earth, as
the start of this Program. The main task of Mars rovers is the planet
investigation, first of all concerning life search. The American scientists
work out the detailed Program of automatic devices flights to the Mars till the
human appearance there. While currently the specialists of European Space
Agency do not leave hope to find the lost landing module "Beagle-2".
It disappeared on the 25-th of December last year. The American and European
devices contain the Russian spectrographs for the ground composition analysis. The
flight of the first astronaut of Chinese people's Republic on board of the
space ship "Shen Chzhou-5" became an outstanding symbolic event of
2003 in the history of astronautics. On the 15 of October the lieutenant colonel of CPA Yan Livej
performed 14 spires around the Earth for 21 hours 23 minutes and successfully
landed. The launch-vehicle, spacecraft and all the systems have been worked out
in China by the Chinese scientists, produced of Chinese materials. China
has become the third country of the World, which independently performed the
space piloted flight. China demonstrated that it has not only reliable rockets
and space ships, but also a large system of flight control, modern flight control
centre and the network of posts of command-measuring complex, including the
naval one. Following China India also aspires for becoming a powerful space
State. The Indian Prime-minister claimed: "We set an ambitious task to
launch the space ship onto the Moon by 2008". What
can be said about the state of Russian astronautics at present moment? Even
with the level of state financing of space activity in the interest of national
economy, social development and science dozens times less than in the USA, currently
being less than in China, France and Japan, our astronautics is still in global
demand. For about a 50-year period of development our space-rocket industry
saved such a potential, that is still able to stay the leader of
scientific-technical progress in Russia and is able to drag out a number of
modern high tech branches. In spite of the overall system crisis, decay and
degradation of many adjacent branches, in spite of shameful impoverishment of
the scientific sphere Russian astronautics managed to stand firm. It
is proved by the fact that namely Russian space technology supports the
activity of International Space Station (ISS) today: the unique systems of
automatic approaching, landing and electro-mechanical devices of docking have
proved its reliability in the process of 15-year exploitation of the station
"Mir" and in near future will provide the existence of ISS. In 2003 two piloted
ships "Soyuz TMA" and three cargo space-ships "Progress M"
were launched from spacedrome "Bajkonur" by launch-vehicles
"Soyuz FG" and "Soyuz-U" and successfully docked with ISS.
According to the plan for the year 2004 there must be launched two piloted and
5 cargo ships for the docking with ISS. The piloted ships "Soyuz TMA"
have a new system of deorbiting control system, which is more reliable and
exact. The outstanding event was the launch of two rather updated connection
and television satellites "Yamal-200" by the launch-vehicle
"Proton". This event is outstanding not only in the technical aspect
(not from the technical, but also from the economic point of view). Rocket
space complex "Energia" and Open Joint stock Company
"Gazkom" following the connection satellite "Yamal-100" introduced
into exploitation two more satellites of global connection without being financed
from the state budget. It's practically proved that even in Russia the system
of service, using the most advanced and contemporary technologies in the field
of communications, is able to provide its further development on the space
basis. With difficulties, but gradually after various reorganizations our
military-space forces are being revived. There has been started the process of
reconstruction of our space groups of global connection, television, distant
flexing of the Earth, meteorology, navigation. Scientific-production
association named after Academician M.F. Reshetnyov in 2003 launched 8
navigation, connection and television devices. Judging by the overall amount of
space ships launched in 2002 Russia has taken the first place once again. Thus
in 2002 by 25 launches Russia led into Space 35 spacecrafts, while the USA by
18 launches led 23 spacecrafts. As well Russian vehicles in accordance with ISS
Program carried out 4 launches, for the interests of Ministry of Defense - 7
launches, for the interests of the Russian space group support (connection and
navigation) - 2 launches, for the interests of foreign countries - 13
commercial launches. New
space States China, India, Japan are included into lunar and interplanetary
race, have much better initial conditions comparing to those in the period of
lunar race USSR - USA in the 60-ies
of the last century. They create their own space technologies, using
revolutionary achievements of electronic-information technologies. Last
year there were a lot of scientific-technical conferences, symposiums and other
events, most of which were attached to jubilee dates of space organizations
creation and jubilees of outstanding Russian scientists - scientific school
founders. Russian space-rocket schools, founded by S.P. Korolyov, V.P. Glushko,
M.V. Keldysh, V.N. Chelomej, A.D. Nadiradze, V.P. Makeev, M.K. Yangel, V.F. Utkin,
N.A. Pilyugin, A.M. Isayev, V.P. Barmin, V.I. Kuznetsov, M.S. Ryazanskij, V.A.
Kotelnikov, A.F. Bogomolov, M.F. Reshetnev, D.I. Kozlov, S.A. Kosberg, A.D.
Konopatov, V.A. Trapeznikov, B.N. Petrov have been created under the protection
of supreme political administration of the country and were based on the
potential of the powerful military-industrial complex of the country, have been
generously financed and protected by the state. Progress
and development of the Russian space-rocket technologies, priority achievements
of global significance have been provided not only by outstanding designers and
scientists, but also talented, highly responsible state leaders. We shouldn't
forget about great importance of the organization activity of D.F. Ustinov,
M.I. Nedelin, N.D. Yakovlev, V.M. Ryabikov, S.A. Afanasyev, V.D. Kalmykov, A.I.
Shokin, L.V. Smirnov, G.N. Pashkov, O.D. Baklanov and other heads of strategic
branches of industry and army. The
scientific-technical potential and organization experience, saved during
prereformation years, the sense of responsibility to the country and its people
contributed to the fact, that our schools haven't given way and are still able
to provide creative activity for the country's safety and economic development.
We shouldn't forget about wonderful launch-vehicle "Energia". After
finishing the American Program "Saturn-Apollo" - six expeditions to
the Moon, after the official finish of the Program N1-L3, the launch-vehicle
"Energia" turned to be the only in the world super heavy carrier,
which allowed to plan the construction of a constant lunar base, the creation
of multy purposeful heavy space platforms, interplanetary flights. This carrier
was allowing to use nuclear-energy installations in the Programs of the lunar
base creations, planet and far space exploration. We should remember about it
in connection with the fact that global energetic crisis is inevitable after
Russia and Middle East exhaust their oil resources. While this, only
thermo-nuclear electric stations are able to provide further development of
civilization. Fuel is necessary for this, this fuel is limited on the Earth,
while there is much of it on the Moon, it's helium isotope - helium 3. At the
international scientific symposiums, including RAS Presidium session in
December 2003 the prospect of the use of helium 3 for future energy crisis
prevention was discussed. A country or a group of countries, which will create
powerful space nuclear-energy installations, and on their basis transport
systems for close and far space, will make technological breakthrough and
provide mastery in space. However at any rate for the start from the Earth
within the transport space system nuclear energy installations will need a
launch-vehicle, the first stages of which start using usual rocket engine. Only
Russia can in near future create the first step in the system of helium 3
supplying for thermonuclear electric stations of the future. For this necessary
not to begin from the zero point, but to restore the best in near future heavy
launch-vehicle "Energia". Modern
astronautics solves information problems. In the twenty first century for the
civilization rescuing it should unite with power-engineering and provide the
solution of energetic problems. Not only money, but also inspiring work and
enthusiasm of thousands of scientists, engineers and workers are necessary for
the development and realization of promising large-scale space Programs. In
spite of principally different social and political structures of the USA and
China, the supreme leaders of these two States use the experience of political
administration of former Soviet Union. The goals of astronautics are claimed to
be great (significant) national objectives, inspiring and uniting all strata of
society. By the support of astronautics political leaders aspire to inspire
younger generations to acquire knowledge, bring up new generations of inventors
and discoverers. Such grandiose tasks must raise the national spirit.
Unfortunately the Russian political elite is not yet attracted by such
large-scale set of national tasks. There is hope that the XXVIII Academic
Conference in astronautics will help to restore the spiritual forces of russian
nation (society) to some extent and this sounds rather optimistic. At
the XXVIII Conference on astronautics the scientific problems of the plenary
session were represented by reports, devoted to the analysis of creative
activity of scientific and production schools of Russian astronautics. Here it
is necessary to note the papers:
"The leaders of engine design.
Commemorating the 75-th Anniversary of scientific and production association
"Energomash" named after Academician V.P. Glushko" by General
Director of scientific and production association "Energomash"
Academician B.I. Katorgin;
"70 years at the top of space-rocket
technology" by the Director of the Research Centre named after M.V.
Keldysh, Academician A.S. Koroteev;
"The RAS Institute of Applied Mathematics
named after M.V. Keldysh: 50 years in space investigations" by the Director of the RAS Institute of
Applied Mathematics named after M.V. Keldysh and correspondent member of RAS
U.P. Popov;
"The 40-th Anniversary of Science and
production centre of automatics and instrument-making named after Academician
N.A. Pilyugin" by General Director of Science and production centre of
automatics and instrument-making named after Academician N.A. Pilyugin -
E.L.Mezheritskiy. Actual problems of modern astronautics were
the subject under discussion at the sectional sessions. Thus the investigations
of the scientific creative activity of space exploration pioneers were
represented by 14 reports, devoted to the 80-th Anniversary of Academician V.F.
Utkin, 8 reports commemorating Academician N.N. Sheremetyevskij, a series of
reports, devoted to Academicians N.A. Pilyugin, , V.I. Kuznetsov, V.N.
Chelomej, as well as to the 100-th Anniversary of aviation and rocket engines Designer
S.A. Kosberg. Besides, there were represented reports "Space
Krasnoyarsk", devoted to the 80-th Anniversary of Academician
M.F.Reshetnev and commemorating 45 years since the foundation of NPO PM. The
enterprise members of the staff reported of the history and contemporary state of
the elaboration of connected and navigation spacecrafts. The veterans of RKK
"Energia" V.E. Bugrov and V.E Lyubimskij made a report, analyzing the
phased elaborations of Academician S.P. Korolyov and their role in modern
astronautics. MAI carried out a thematic sectional session, timed for the 95-th
Anniversary of D.D. Sevruk - a scientist, rocket engines and energy
installations Designer, and devoted to the analysis of his views on
space-rocket technology development in Russia. The
problems of modern astronautics - aircrafts, constructing and design - included
the following vital topics:
space-rocket activity: technology process
ecology and dynamics;
the concept of space radiotelescope of a
millimeter range;
aircrafts and launch-vehicles structures;
rescuing devices of the piloted orbital
complexes crew;
heat regimes and dynamics of space structures
and spacecrafts;
the problems of landing onto the planets of the
Solar system. The
theory and design of aircraft engines alongside with traditional reports on the
aspects of jet propulsion elaborations, about the processing of engines on
solid fuel were represented by the new results of investigations in the
thermodynamic computing of rocket fuel on the basis of powder-like metal fuel
and carbon dioxide for the Marsian expedition. The
problems of modern astronautics in the field of investigations in space energy
and space electro-rocket engine systems were represented by numerous reports,
made on these themes. It's necessary to give peculiar attention to the report,
devoted to the results and prospects of the elaboration of reactors for nuclear
rocket engines and methodical research on the significance of global
standardization in the system of technical regulation for the high quality of
engine and energy installations of spacecrafts. It's also necessary to mark the
report on the considerably important theme "Space protection of the Earth
from the asteroid-comet danger. The international system of planetary safety
and possible variants of its development". The problems of modern astronautics - applied celestial mechanics and motion control - included the following major topics: flight control of spacecrafts with electric jets (with small traction) while flying to the Mars (on "Fobos-Grunt" project);
modelling of ionosphere component of the
mistake of trajectory measurements by near-Earth spacecrafts on the basis of
the ionosphere model reconstruction according to GPS - stations data;
motion dynamics investigation in the atmosphere
of cable systems;
analysis of the stability of equilibrium states
of various satellite systems configurations;
aspects of optimal control (including magnetic)
of the artificial satellite orientation, other vital tasks of modern
astronautics. The
problems of space-rocket technology history are rather vital for modern
astronautics, as they are objective sources of description and analysis of the
role of previous events and achievements of Russian astronautics for its
development. The following problems were discussed in the reports:
development of scientific work on the history
of Russian astronautics;
revealing of valuable historical experience of
the Russian military space activity;
revealing of the international cooperation
experience for the last years in the field of the uninhabited spaceships
development Programs; protection of the global achievements significance of K.E.Tsiolkovskij and other pioneers of russian astronautics from the attempts to blacken them in several mass media. Besides,
it's necessary to mention the reports on the history of space-rocket
technology: "From the history of stand testing base of Open Joint-stock
Company "Scientific and production association Energomash named after
Academician V.P. Glushko"; "Commemorating the 40-th Anniversary of
the first world space testing of electric-rocket plasma jets at the Soviet
automatic interplanetary probe "Zond-2" (December 1964); "The
first space electric rocket impulse plasma jets. The results of a 40-year
period of development, historical steps and prospects of development in the XX1
century"; "Bibliographical internet-materials about the development
of the ideas of N.G. Chetaev"; "Historical review and analysis of the
initial period piloted space flights". Astronautics
development and fundamental problems of gasdynamics, combusting and heat exchange
were the subjects of discussion at the seventh section. There were made the
reports devoted to fundamental investigations in the field of gasdynamics,
combusting and heat exchange. Among
them were those, devoted to stationary and non-stationary investigations of the
processes, arising at the design of detonation engines. There were also
considered questions of intensification of mixing and combustion in the
reacting mixture at supersonic flow velocities. The reports also included both
computing and experimental methods of investigation. There were also presented
the reports, devoted to the study of cluster formations kinetics, providing the
possibility to estimate the ecological consequences of spacecrafts flights. In
the reports and short issues on the topic "Space activity economy"
there were also considered the following practical and scientific problems:
strategic problems of air-space field
enterprises and organizations interaction;
problems of formation and development of commercial
space service market;
the economy of the international space Programs
in the context of globalization;
the Russian and global experience of airspace
industry reconstruction;
risks, insurance and space safety of commercial
space activity;
marketing instruments in the process of
elaboration and manufacture of airspace production;
social-economic and ecological problems of
space projects;
staff provision of space activity;
commercial efficiency of definite space
projects (proximity Earth exploring, connection, space transport systems,
natural objects' monitoring);
problems and prospects of media-projects'
creation in the field;
economic aspects of development and space
tourist prospects. The
scientific branch "Astronautics and stable development of the society
(concepts, projects, solutions)" is represented by two groups of thematic
problems: the first, space politics and safety questions, perspective space
projects and problems of stable development, the second, the perfection of new
directions (lines) of techniques and technology development and the
organization of their introduction into the space-rocket branch, the space
legislation formation, the increase of international cooperation efficiency. At
the section "Astronautics and Culture" there was a large block of
reports, devoted to the 70-th Anniversary of U.A. Gagarin. The typical to the
considered scientific aspect is the report on the topic "Byzantine
cosmography and Russian cosmism", in which the author linked the problem
of astronautics development with the space world view development. Space and
poetry, space and music - that is the major directivity of the music and poetic
department of the above-mentioned section. The well-known music-composer A.N.
Pakhmutova - the author of many songs about Gagarin and astronauts, the choir
"Moscow Kremlin" supervised by G.D Dmitryuk, performing the music of
the outstanding Russian composer G. Sviridov on the poetry of A.S. Pushkin, the
poet N.N. Dobronravov, reading his latest "space" poems, took part at
the section session. The represented reports and short issues are of definite
scientific and practical significance for the investigations of the
little-known aspect "Astronautics and culture", realization of its
role in the history of Russian astronautics, life and activity of outstanding
representatives of astronautics. The
work of section "Scientifically based technologies in space-rocket
technique" was devoted to the solution of the main problems of creation,
manufacture and exploitation of space-rocket technique:
reliability and ecological safety of the
space-rocket technique exploitation, applied for the investigation of the close
and far space in the interests of the national economy and the development of
the Earth civilization in general;
global informatization of the airspace industry
enterprises, the creation of corporate territory distributed information
telecommunication systems of the enterprise control, the introduction into
daily practice of the interactive electronic technical manuals (guides) (IETR)
and other elements of CALS-technologies, providing the information support to
the products of space-rocket technique at all the stages of a life cycle, the
reconstruction of all business processes, the creation of computerized integrated
productions (CIP) aimed at complete and close integration of the Russian
airspace industry into the global economic community;
introduction into the production process of the
elaboration of airspace technique of the scientifically based resources and
energysaving ecologically safe
technologies, the provision of Russia entering the world market of
scientifically based technologies. It's
also necessary to emphasize utmost effective organization and carrying out of
this section functioning on the basis of State Space Scientific-Industry Center
named after M.V Khrunichev, which, consequently, attracts to section sessions
about 200 experts (specialists) from more than 20 enterprises and firms of the
airspace industry. The researches of the objects of land infrastructure of the
missile complexes and start equipment of the space-rocket technique were
represented by the following themes:
elaboration and application of automatic
resources saving and information technologies in the start-complex building;
investigation of the properties of gasdynamic,
acoustic, dynamic and heat processes in the start equipment at the period of
space-rocket systems preparation and launching;
elaboration of the modelling methods and
optimal control of start equipment exploitation under the conditions of
expiring of the land complexes guarantee exploitation terms and limited
financing of the space Programs. The
themes represented by the reporters on space navigation and robotic-technique
had direct correspondence to the vital scientific branches of modern
astronautics. There were discussed the questions of flights
ballistic-navigation supply (BNS), in particular for the International Space
Station, the influence of the vagueness of knowledge of the planet atmosphere
parameters on the spacecraft movement while passing onto their orbits, the
latest achievements in the field of gyroscopic systems and accelerometers
design. The
Section "Aerospace education and youth problems" touched on the
essential problem of modern airspace education: the specialists training
quality increase, working out of the principles of continuous integrated target
specialists' training for the military defense complex, the peculiarities of
airspace education informatization development at the modern stage, the problems
of development of the staff potential of aviation and space-rocket industry,
perspective courses in the youth Program realization in the field of space
education. Section
"Combined force installations for supersonic and air-space crafts"
came to the following conclusions:
the reporting of outstanding scientists and
heads of large scientific complexes played an important role for proper
orientation in the questions of conditions and perspectives development of the
major section scientific trend - "hypersonic technologies and force
installations for hypersonic aircrafts";
the section participants
pay attention of Russian Space Agency Administration, engine problems
Institutions and Designer Centers, scientific Centres and creative teams to the
fact that according to the presented reports and foreign researches reviews the
prospect of new type engines creation for aviation and rocket technique -
pulsing detonation engines (PuDE) becomes quite real.
the section participants are sure that such
engines creation is quite real in near future, moreover these engines will have
a simpler construction, less mass, better economy and lower cost comparing to
the currently applied aviation and rocket jets, thus in perspective plans of
russian enginebuilding development this direction should be given priority
attention, while the PuDE creation technology should become the key one. The
reports devoted to the themes "The ground trying out of jet installations
and heat vacuum testing of spacecrafts " reflected the following vital
problems of modern astronautics:
improvement and developing of traditional jet
propulsion and perspective schemes of plasma engines;
the questions of working out and testing of
perspective systems of spacecrafts' heating regimes supply;
spacecrafts' modes mathematical modelling;
refining of the strength of large items for
space-rocket industry and modules' hermeticity. The
themes of "Control systems of spacecrafts and complexes" section are
vital problems of the elaboration of the systems of automatic and computer
aided design control of space objects on the basis of control theory
achievements and modern information technologies. The
most important direction of the space-rocket technique development at modern
stage is the elaboration and introduction of intellectual technologies and
corresponding instrumental means into the tasks of airspace objects control.
While forming the Program of section functioning priority was given to the
reports, in which the authors touched on principle questions of automatic and
computer aided design control of modern space devices and systems, and the
basic attention was given both to theoretical and practical problems taking
into consideration modern achievements of the control theory, information and
computing technologies. The section sessions were devoted to the consideration
of the design principles, computing methods and methods of projecting of
automatic and computer aided design control of airspace crafts, as well as to
the prospects of elaboration and creation of intellectual systems of such
objects control. The problems of information processing in control systems, as
well as the use of modern computing, projecting technologies, the questions of
these systems modelling and ground refining hold a very important place in
these reports. |
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