China a step closer to manned moon mission

[Hamartia Antidote]

Like you. I take these reports and article with a pinch of salt.

The US has been buying the very capable Russian engines so other countries with ICBM plans can't get their hands on it.

Why would the Russians even consider selling the US Air Force rocket engines (yes, these aren't exactly being used by high school science projects) in the first place?

The Soviet Union started falling apart in 1990. in 1991 it was official. Russia is cash strapped for money. People are out of work - especially rocket scientists.

In 1992 the US "out of the blue" shows an interest in buying (not licensing) the RD-180 engine. What?? Keep a crucial Russian defense company alive?? Wonder why? Congress even changes the law to add an exception amendment about using foreign sources for crucial weapon systems! We are going to allow our critical satellites to be launched with Russian engines..what??? What kind of "little exception" is this?? Seems like a HUGE one!

In 1993 the International Space Station is announced. What?? Why so chummy-chummy with the Russians?? They have no money..why should we give their rocket people work??

Now SpaceX has come into the picture. Oddly the US military is AGAINST using SpaceX rockets and would rather use the ULA Russian engine ones. Weird? Why? SpaceX sues the military for shutting them out ( SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Sues Government to Break US Air Force's National Security Launch Monopoly - Universe Today )...and breaks the monopoly ( SpaceX, Air Force Settle Lawsuit over ULA Blockbuy ).

Elon Musk:
"In light of international events, this seems like the wrong time to send hundreds of millions of dollars to the Kremlin,” said Musk.
....
“Yet, this is what the Air Force’s arrangement with ULA does, despite the fact that there are domestic alternatives available that do not rely on components from countries that pose a national security risk.”"



Russia then starts talking to China about buying engines...

SpaceX lands their rocket Dec 21, 2015

ULA buys 20 more engines in Dec 26 2015 ULA orders more Russian-built RD-180 rocket engines - SpaceFlight Insider

 

[CAPRICORN-88]

Its not really a big deal , on the scientific stand point. Any country with enough funds can reach the moon when it's at its closest . The resin no one wants to do it is because of the outlandish cuts it takes from the government revenue.

Really! That easy.

Then apart from building cryogenic engines they would have easily progress to miniature W88 alike hydrogen warhead with out any problem. Money alone will do, right.

Then you must be one of those who truly believe the North Korean had just successfully build and tested a miniature hydrogen bomb as they claimed.

ULA buys 20 more engines in Dec 26 2015 ULA orders more Russian-built RD-180 rocket engines - SpaceFlight Insider

How about this?

Russia ban RD-180 rocket sales to US.

As the result, USA is now stockpiling them before the ban comes into effect.

Russia Bans Rocket Engine Sales to U.S. Military - Bloomberg Business

Rogozin Bans Use of Russian Engines for U.S. Launches; ISS Participation to Cease in 2020 at Parabolic Arc

The U.S. government is pursuing domestic alternatives to the Russian-built RD-180 engine currently used to power the Atlas 5. As a result of increased political tension between the U.S. and Russia.
Satellite Today Aug 25, 2014

The purchase indicates they may not have found a suitable alternative yet.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Really! That easy.

Then apart from building cryogenic engines they would have easily progress to miniature W88 alike hydrogen warhead with out any problem. Money alone will do, right.

Then you must be one of those who truly believe the North Korean had just successfully build and tested a miniature hydrogen bomb as they claimed.



How about this?

Russia ban RD-180 rocket sales to US.

As the result, USA is now stockpiling them before the ban comes into effect.

Russia Bans Rocket Engine Sales to U.S. Military - Bloomberg Business

Rogozin Bans Use of Russian Engines for U.S. Launches; ISS Participation to Cease in 2020 at Parabolic Arc

The U.S. government is pursuing domestic alternatives to the Russian-built RD-180 engine currently used to power the Atlas 5. As a result of increased political tension between the U.S. and Russia.
Satellite Today Aug 25, 2014

The purchase indicates they may not have found a suitable alternative yet.

Those "bans" were in 2014...but obviously lifted (hmm why should they even lift it???? Why so nice to lift it? All these sanctions and they still want to sell engines to lift US spy satellites??) since ULA just bought 20 less than a month ago.

 

[XiaoYaoZi]

Those "bans" were in 2014...but obviously lifted (hmm why should they even lift it???? Why so nice to lift it? All these sanctions and they still want to sell engines to lift US spy satellites??) since ULA just bought 20 less than a month ago.

It must be ULA that has been pressing for getting the contacts of the military and making money to develop new rocket. Also it is unlikely to let SpaceX monopoly this business.

Besides, China is not interested in the rocket engine R-180 now, unless Russians were willing to sell it ten years ago.

 

[CAPRICORN-88]

Those "bans" were in 2014...but obviously lifted (hmm why should they even lift it???? Why so nice to lift it? All these sanctions and they still want to sell engines to lift US spy satellites??) since ULA just bought 20 less than a month ago.

As far as I know, the BAN is still in effect.

The U.S. Bind Over a Ban on Russian Rocket Engines
Dec 24, 2015
The U.S. Bind Over a Ban on Russian Rocket Engines - Washington Wire - WSJ

The complication is that rockets are designed for particular engines, and the U.S. had no perfect alternative to the Atlas V and the RD-180. The U.S. government recognized this problem in 1995, when a Defense Department policy was instituted requiring domestic co-production of the RD-180 by 1999. After a series of delays, the government decided in 2007 that producing the engine domestically would be too costly.

Years of dithering have left the U.S. in a bind. A 2014 Air Force report showed that if the U.S. stopped importing the RD-180 and used up its inventory of the engines, it would no longer be able to carry out scheduled Atlas V launches beginning sometime in 2016.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

As far as I know, the BAN is still in effect.

The U.S. Bind Over a Ban on Russian Rocket Engines
Dec 24, 2015
The U.S. Bind Over a Ban on Russian Rocket Engines - Washington Wire - WSJ

The complication is that rockets are designed for particular engines, and the U.S. had no perfect alternative to the Atlas V and the RD-180. The U.S. government recognized this problem in 1995, when a Defense Department policy was instituted requiring domestic co-production of the RD-180 by 1999. After a series of delays, the government decided in 2007 that producing the engine domestically would be too costly.

Years of dithering have left the U.S. in a bind. A 2014 Air Force report showed that if the U.S. stopped importing the RD-180 and used up its inventory of the engines, it would no longer be able to carry out scheduled Atlas V launches beginning sometime in 2016.

Yep, they would have to use a different rocket. No engines for the Atlas,

BTW the ban is the *US* one not the Russian one.
Dec 12, 2014 Congress OKs bill banning purchases of Russian-made rocket engines - LA Times
...
1 year goes by
...
Dec 17, 2015 McCain Blasts Removal Of Ban On Russian Rocket Engines | The Daily Caller
Dec 21, 2015 US Congress Set to Lift Ban on Russian RD-180 Rocket Engine
Dec 23, 2015 ULA Orders 20 More RD-180 Rocket Engines - SpaceNews.com

Hey did you (and to the other posters above) notice this part from the WSJ article you linked :
"In 1993, Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin agreed to various forms of space cooperation, in part to keep Soviet rocket scientists peaceably employed."

 

[CAPRICORN-88]

Yep, they would have to use a different rocket. No engines for the Atlas,

BTW the ban is the *US* one not the Russian one.
Dec 12, 2014 Congress OKs bill banning purchases of Russian-made rocket engines - LA Times
Dec 21, 2015 US Congress Set to Lift Ban on Russian RD-180 Rocket Engine

Hey did you (and to the other posters above) notice this part from the WSJ article you linked :
"In 1993, Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin agreed to various forms of space cooperation, in part to keep Soviet rocket scientists peaceably employed."

Yes. But after Crimea vote to join Russia, US and Russia relation has been in a reverse with all those economic sanctions imposed by Obama.

IMO US bilateral relationship with Russia won't improve as long as USA Obama is still in office.

 

[XiaoYaoZi]

Yep, they would have to use a different rocket. No engines for the Atlas,

BTW the ban is the *US* one not the Russian one.
Dec 12, 2014 Congress OKs bill banning purchases of Russian-made rocket engines - LA Times
...
1 year goes by
...
Dec 17, 2015 McCain Blasts Removal Of Ban On Russian Rocket Engines | The Daily Caller
Dec 21, 2015 US Congress Set to Lift Ban on Russian RD-180 Rocket Engine
Dec 23, 2015 ULA Orders 20 More RD-180 Rocket Engines - SpaceNews.com

Hey did you (and to the other posters above) notice this part from the WSJ article you linked :
"In 1993, Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin agreed to various forms of space cooperation, in part to keep Soviet rocket scientists peaceably employed."

Hmm, more exactly that the engine is cheap.

 

[Sanchez]

Yes. But after Crimea vote to join Russia, US and Russia relation has been in a reverse with all those economic sanctions imposed by Obama.

IMO US bilateral relationship with Russia won't improve as long as USA Obama is still in office.

Not when Putin is on his chair!

 

[CAPRICORN-88]

Not when Putin is on his chair!

In a way you are right with your opinion.

It will depends who wins the USA Presidency.

If Hilliary Clintons wins, many of us believe that the relationship between Russia & USA or China & USA may remain standstill or even deteriorate as they surround them with neocons.

typo error... surround themselves

 

[Jlaw]

NASA is reigniting its mighty moon rocket engine using parts retrieved from museums and displays.

doesn't this sound strange to people? With today's technology, why would NASA need to retreive parts from the moon rocket engine that look like it cannot even fly from Toronto to NYC.