Russian Clipper Ship Draws European Interest

Europe is eying Russia’s proposed crew-carrying Clipper spaceship, not only for use in International Space Station operations, but also to carve out their role in future Moon, Mars and beyond exploration.

The Russian Clipper would be a sporty replacement for the venerable Soyuz spacecraft and would feature abilities like those touted for NASA’s drawing board vision of a Crew Exploration Vehicle, or CEV.

It is expected that a decision on Europe’s future involvement in the Russian Clipper concept will be made this December at a European Space Agency (ESA) Ministerial Council meeting.

Clippership stats

Russian space officials have explained that the still-to-be-built Clipper can carry six people: two pilots with the other four seats for astronauts or space tourists. The craft would be capable of hauling some 1,540 pounds (700 kilograms) of cargo.

In early statements, Russian space authorities have indicated that the Clipper could be in service in the 2010-2011 timeframe.

Clipper’s launch vehicle would be a Russian Onega rocket - a modified version of the Soyuz carrier rocket and could head spaceward from European as well as Russian spaceports.

ESA Looks East for Future Cooperation

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped into a full-scale mockup of the Clipper spaceship at MAKS 2005, a Russian International Aviation and Space Salon, held August 16-21 in Zhukovsky, close to Moscow.

Putin was joined by the head of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Anatoly Perminov and the Director of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Launchers Program, Antonio Fabrizi. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov also participated.

ESA’s Fabrizi discussed with Putin future collaboration on projects such as Clipper, in which a number of ESA Member States, including Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and Spain have expressed interest.

The mockup of Russia’s Clipper design has been making the rounds of late. It was showcased in June at the Paris Air Show.

The multi-use vehicle was part of Russia’s Rosaviakosmos display at the Pairs Air Show. Rosaviakosmos is Russia’s Federal Space Agency, with the Clipper design a product of that country’s Energia Rocket and Space Corporation.

Starting point studies

In July, Space News reporter, Peter de Selding, noted that the proposed Clipper vehicle could be the basis of a future crew-carrying vehicle that would provide an alternative to the U.S. Crew Exploration Vehicle, based on remarks from Daniel Sacotte, head of ESA’s Human Spaceflight program.

Sacotte said that ESA will propose to its governments in December that they fund a series of design studies, in cooperation with Russia, using Clipper as a starting point.

“We are discussing this with Japan as well,” Sacotte said. “What we want to do is to be in a position around 2007 or 2008 to ask our governments to fund a development program. If Clipper turns out to be credible, it could be based on that. Our starting point is that for an international space exploration program to depend on one craft is too risky.”

[Source: Space.com]

I am ecstatic to announce that Dark Dreams, my third and arguably darkest collection to date, will be joining Naked Snake Press's übercool chapbook series. :D I just received the news from Donna today and am still bouncing off the walls. XD

Found on Cat Welfare Blog

Mythic Delirium #12 is on sale now at Project Pulp. It has poems by Ursula K. Le Guin, Bruce Boston, and yours truly. :) Get it today!

Mythic Delirium Magazine
Issue 12

Edited by Mike Allen

Synopsis

Mythic Delirium is a biannual journal that publishes science fiction, fantasy, horror, surreal, and cross-genre poetry. We are interested in work that demonstrates ambition, that casts new light on genre tropes, that introduces readers to the legends of other cultures, that re-evaluates the myths of old from a modern perspective, that twists reality in unexpected ways. Our 12th issue features a classic reprint from Ursula K. Le Guin, plus terrific long experimental poems from Kendall Evans and Sonya Taaffe, and a medley of shorter works.

Poetry:

Genetics - Charles Saplak
Tarot in the Dungeon - Sonya Taaffe
The Magic of Crystals - Christina Sng
Rapunzel, Rapunzella - Kendall Evans
The Bitter Watches - David C. Kopaska-Merkel
Wordhoard - Ursula K. Le Guin
Survive - John Peery
Lost Over East Texas - Ann K. Schwader
Getting the Most Out of Your Retractive Tools - Robert Frazier
All That Surrounds Us - Roger Dutcher
The Last Cut - Jennifer Crow
Stardust - Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
Curse of Tinkerbell's Husband - Bruce Boston
Prosthetic Wings - K.S. Hardy
Eelgrass and Blue - Sonya Taaffe
The Damsel's Unicorn - Yoon Ha Lee

Artwork:

Tim Mullins
Don Eaves & Terrence Mollendor
Paula Friedlander
Bob Snare
Gary Bryant
Daniel Trout

Review Blurbs

Paul Di Filippo, Asimov's Science Fiction
"More fantastical stanzas can be found in the latest colorful issue of Mythic Delirium . . . . a zoo of wonders indeed."

My surreal poem The Art of Weaving received an Honourable Mention in the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, 18th Annual Edition. This may well be my last nod unless I start writing again. It is an important incentive. It has always been my dream to see my work (not merely my name) in the same book as Neil Gaiman and other horror and science fiction luminaries.

Losing 2 years of work had been quite a blow to me at the same time when work swept me up in its wake of which I never quite recovered. Perhaps I just need to retreat to that place I am always at when I write, curled up under my blankets with my art book and black pen. Or it is simply a matter of commitment as it was when I first started. Not leaving the spot till I've written 5 poems, publishable or not.

It is a place to start weaving again. Tomorrow night. Actually, it is already tomorrow.

The premiere issue of Tales of the Talisman is now on sale at Project Pulp. This gorgeous glossy issue includes 2 of my poems "Medusa in LA" and "Passing Through". :)

Boy's been hanging with Buffy quite a bit. A strange but endearing relationship. :)

While watching Buffy this evening, Buf leapt up onto the couch and cuddled against me for the whole duration of the episode. It was very sweet and her Dad was quite amazed.

Just 2 minutes ago, the two were lounging in the corridor when I called Boy. I was so surprised to see him get up, walk by to the computer table and let me pick him up and sit him on my lap for a few minutes before he decided to wrangle himself out of my embrace and lie on the floor by my feet instead. :D

It's been his favourite spot for a long time, despite it being rather hazardous. He has had his tail run over by my chair several times when I get up in a hurry. I do remember to keep an eye out for him these days. He does blend into the carpet...

my cat annie - delightful videos of a very interesting cat.

(Source: Working with the Cat Welfare Society)

I woke up yesterday morning to Kaku's gentle mrrow mrrow. Got up, petted her for a really long time and then opened the bedroom door to let the bedlam in.

The kids really appreciated me being home, I could tell. Boy was constantly following me everywhere and the Three Naughties sat with me all afternoon and evening as I watched Buffy reruns.

Tux chatted with me while I picked him up ("mrow ow", he said) and Sam animatedly sang out a mrreeeow mreeow while sitting on the stairs past midnight.

Boy howled some but quietened down instantly when I called his name and blinked at him. I think after being away, all of them are worried I'll leave again. I reassured them and carried them all.

They've all settled down to sleep now, except for me Cheese Taster-filled tummied human mother person.

For most of my life, I had been haunted by an old movie I watched as a child. The story was about a woman with special powers, the sea, and a giant turtle bigger than a ship.

One of my life's goals was to swim with turtles, in their domain the sea. I achieved that last week. It reminded me of the source of that inspiration.

Remembering just the actress's name, I searched IMDB for Connie Selleca. And there it was... right at the bottom of her credits list was The Bermuda Depths (1978). Here's a review.

Confident I'd have that DVD in my hands in the next month or so, I searched Google... only to find, along with many disappointed and similar haunted souls that it hasn't been released!

There are a couple of VHS versions on Ebay but I am still mulling. Dang...