Ukraine to Launch Its Own Shuttle

Ukraine is going to build the Clipper, a new-generation, reusable manned spaceship, which will cost an estimated $120 million, reports korrespondent.net, citing Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Volodymyr Makukha, who spoke at a meeting of the high- level Single Economic Space group in Astana, Kazakhstan. “The Clipper will replace Soyuz-type spaceships and is designed to take a six-man crew into low orbit and then bring it back to earth,” he said. According to Makukha, the craft will be used to carry out self-contained flights and service orbiting manned stations. The project will be implemented in several stages. The first stage, 2004-2008, will see the experimental launching of an unmanned craft. This part of the project will cost $15 million. The second stage, for the period 2009- 2013, will involve manned flights under Russian government programs and as part of a cooperative effort with NASA and the European Space Agency. This stage will require about $70 million. At the third stage, Ukrainian experts intend to tackle the problems of improving the Clipper’s safety, including environmental impact, at all levels. At least $35 million are required for this. As the deputy foreign minister noted, the project will be implemented with the aid of specialists from other CIS countries.