US and Europe plan new spaceship

[Gerald]

Europe and the US could be building a spaceship together later this decade.

It is one of the ideas being considered as Europe ponders the next evolution of its ATV orbital freighter.

The sophisticated robotic vessel is used to transport up to 7.5 tonnes of supplies to the space station, but only three more units are in production.

Europe is now looking to develop a derivative of the ship and a joint venture with the Americans on a future vessel is being discussed.

The European Space Agency's Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain, said the new concept must leverage the capabilities of the existing vehicle, such as its automatic rendezvous and docking technology, but that its precise role was up for debate.

He wants the broad concept laid out by the autumn so that he can present it to Esa member states for consideration.

"We shall work with the US space agency in a way that I can present in October a proposal on a new vehicle that in my view should be derived from the ATV, but which for the first time will be embedded into a common vision between Nasa and Esa," he told BBC News.

"I cannot tell you what type of vehicle it will be because this is not something I can define myself; this is something we have to define together - Nasa and Esa.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13286238


Note: 5 May 2011 Last updated at 12:06 GMT

[Gerald]

What I heard is that the UK will be happy to drop the extra money for the project ... and that means you can not spend money here and there, for you who live on the islands, that is, in plain language, less beer

[FIREWALL]

This reminds me of a funny thread some time back about the Jumbo Airbus.

Two companies were going to build it together. But somewhere along the line there was a communication gap.

When each brought their half to the meeting\assembly site.

Both had built the front half of the plane.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

This reminds me of a funny thread some time back about the Jumbo Airbus.

Two companies were going to build it together. But somewhere along the line there was a communication gap.

When each brought their half to the meeting\assembly site.

Both had built the front half of the plane.

What happened next,

[FIREWALL]

Originally Posted by Vendor

What happened next,

Then they went home.


Then they went after they got home.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

Then they went home.

Hmmm ... wonder how many people lost money in the "affair"

[TLAM Strike]

I hope NASA, ESA, and the Russians are able to work together not just on this but on the planned Jupiter/Ganymede/Europa probe as well.

[tater]

I thought the whole point of the Obama space plan was to privatize it?

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by tater

I thought the whole point of the Obama space plan was to privatize it?

Obama's space plan is more along the lines of, "Russia, you drive and we'll chip in for the gas."

[FIREWALL]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Obama's space plan is more along the lines of, "Russia, you drive and we'll chip in for the gas."

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Obama's space plan is more along the lines of, "Russia, you drive and we'll chip in for the gas."

Very true actually! It's just matter of time when Russians paint "TAXI" to their manned spacecrafts.

[UnderseaLcpl]

It shouldn't be surprising that I consider this whole thing to be a waste of time, resources, and capital.

There is absolutely no reason for either the US or EU governments to bother themselves or us with this nonsense. It isn't as if we have a shortage of private companies willing to exploit space at zero cost to the general public. It isn't as if any of the research conducted on the ISS is worth what we pay for it when it is worth anything at all, and it isn't as if a joint effort in building a facility miles above the earth is going to somehow improve international relations.

Every conceivable goal of this project can be more readily accomplished through free trade and private space ventures with whatever goals they hope to accomplish using the gains made by private firms instead of trying to circumvent them. This...whatever its supposed to be is just another classic example of government agencies putting the cart before the horse. Actually, they don't even rate that. They're trying to use a cart without a horse, with the obvious, resultant, and repeated inefficiency one would expect.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by tater

I thought the whole point of the Obama space plan was to privatize it?

I thought it was to have NASA encourage and aid the Islamic world in developing rocketry?

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

I hope NASA, ESA, and the Russians are able to work together not just on this but on the planned Jupiter/Ganymede/Europa probe as well.

It would be good,