Russia’s Doomed Mars Spacecraft Falling Back to Earth
Posted Sunday, January 15th, 2012
VOA
A Russian space probe that was intended to travel to a moon of Mars is instead coming crashing to Earth.
The unmanned Phobos-Grunt voyager is predicted to make re-entry on Sunday between 1641 and 2105 UTC, but exactly when and where is unknown.
The satellite was launched November 9, but it got stuck in Earth orbit and has been losing altitude since then.
The Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, says only small fragments of the 14-ton spacecraft weighing about 200 kilograms are expected to survive the atmosphere and will pose no danger. Some 11 tons of the spacecraft's weight is made up of unused toxic rocket fuel that Roscosmos says will burn up during re-entry.
The failure of the $165 million mission, which was designed to collect soil samples from the Martian moon Phobos, is among a series of recent setbacks for Russia's space program five decades after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's pioneering space flight.
Last August, an unmanned supply ship bound for the International Space Station crashed in Siberia.
Showing posts with label Russia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russia. Show all posts
2011-07-06
Russia - Military Weapons Modernization - $730 Billion
Russia to Spend $730 Billion on New WeaponsRussian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has announced his government plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on weapons modernization by 2020. In his address to parliament earlier this year, Putin said Russia must be strong enough to fend off any threats from abroad, so missile production will double starting in 2013. Analysts in Moscow say this ambitious plan is intended mainly to preserve the government's domestic and regional influence. Upgrade Russia plans to spend $730 billion by 2020 to upgrade and re-arm its military. That's nearly $20 million a day. The new state arms procurement program includes purchases of eight missile-carrying strategic submarines equipped with Bulava ballistic missiles. Plus 600 aircraft and S-400 and S-500 air defense systems. The arms purchases, both at home and abroad, would allow Russia to raise the proportion of modern weaponry in its arsenal to 70 percent by 2020. Independent military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer says upgrading the strategic nuclear forces is at the top of the list, but the rest of the military needs a boost as well. "Then there's of course the air force, the air defense system, the army - actually, everything needs re-arming because right now they say that [only] 10-15 percent of our weaponry is modern," Felgenhauer noted. Budget increase As Russia exports weapons worth billions of dollars abroad, the country's armed forces are mostly equipped with outdated Soviet-era weaponry. In the last 10 years the government has increased the defense budget tenfold, says Felgenhauer, but still failed to bring the military up to date. "Now the present defense minister says that there was massive misappropriation of funds," Felgenhauer added. "The Russian defense industry, which is also downgraded, and its capabilities are much smaller than in Soviet times, responded to more funding by just raising prices. They are producing the same several fighters or missiles, but for a much bigger price." Foreign threats Prime Minister Putin says it is necessary to spend billions on re-arming the military due to the need to fend off foreign threats. But while that will demonstrate Russia's military might, analysts say the main goal really is to create more business for the country's military-defense complex ahead of next year's presidential and parliamentary elections. |
2011-06-22
Russia - potential to emerge as a new world food power...
Russian Farmers on Track to Increase Food Exports
- June 20, 2011
Photo: Reuters
An airplane treats winter wheat crops with chemicals to kill destructive insects in the town of Mozdok in North Ossetia, Russia, June 8, 2011
With food demand leaping in China and India, Russia has the potential to emerge as a new world food power. But first, Russian farmers need to overcome years of decline.
One hundred years ago, Czarist Russia was the breadbasket of Europe, and the American John Deere company was selling horse-drawn plows to Russian farmers.
Fast forward a century, and John Deere is back in Russia. This time, selling $250,000 harvest combines complete with air-conditioned cabs.
One hundred years ago, Czarist Russia was the breadbasket of Europe, and the American John Deere company was selling horse-drawn plows to Russian farmers.
Fast forward a century, and John Deere is back in Russia. This time, selling $250,000 harvest combines complete with air-conditioned cabs.
Tremendous potential
Alexey Berlin supervises the assembly of tractors and combines at John Deere’s new factory south of Moscow. He said given Russia’s vast territory, agriculture has huge potential.
Russia has 10 percent of the world’s fresh water and arable land, and only two percent of the world’s population. But in the 20 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the amount of land being farmed in Russia has shrunk by one third.
Russia, the world’s-largest nation by territory, survives on food imports.
Russia has 10 percent of the world’s fresh water and arable land, and only two percent of the world’s population. But in the 20 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the amount of land being farmed in Russia has shrunk by one third.
Russia, the world’s-largest nation by territory, survives on food imports.
Increasing wheat yields
Today, Russian wheat yields are at the level American farm yields were in the 1930s. But gradually, Russian farmers are adopting better seeds, better fertilizers, and more efficient machinery. The John Deere factory patio has more than 100 new combines awaiting shipment to Russian farmers.
John Deere manager for Russia, Joe Barrett, believes the country will play a key role in meeting world food needs.
“We have got an expected increase in world population that will be upon us in 2050 with an increase to 9 billion people," he said. "All of them will be fed. All of them deserve to be fed. That means agriculture productivity is going to have to increase dramatically. We think Russia has a terrific opportunity to help fill that void.”
Last year, when a drought pushed Russia to suspend grain exports, food prices spiked to record highs around the world, fueling food riots in poor countries and some say the street revolts of the Arab Spring.
John Deere manager for Russia, Joe Barrett, believes the country will play a key role in meeting world food needs.
“We have got an expected increase in world population that will be upon us in 2050 with an increase to 9 billion people," he said. "All of them will be fed. All of them deserve to be fed. That means agriculture productivity is going to have to increase dramatically. We think Russia has a terrific opportunity to help fill that void.”
Last year, when a drought pushed Russia to suspend grain exports, food prices spiked to record highs around the world, fueling food riots in poor countries and some say the street revolts of the Arab Spring.
Raising production
This year, however, Russian farmers planted for a bumper crop on a land area larger than the U.S. state of California.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has ordered the resumption of Russian grain exports on July 1. This is expected to ease bread prices around the world.
The head of agricultural research at Renaissance Capital investment bank in Moscow, Natalia Zagvozdina, said Russia could expand its harvests to meet world demand.
"If we only had the capital to put all the previously cultivated land back to work, we could have increased the output by 50 percent, easily," said Zagvozdina. "That is easier said than done.”
Trends are looking up, though. During the Soviet days, Russia was a wheat importer. This year, it is targeted to become the world’s third-largest wheat exporter, after Canada and the United States.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has ordered the resumption of Russian grain exports on July 1. This is expected to ease bread prices around the world.
The head of agricultural research at Renaissance Capital investment bank in Moscow, Natalia Zagvozdina, said Russia could expand its harvests to meet world demand.
"If we only had the capital to put all the previously cultivated land back to work, we could have increased the output by 50 percent, easily," said Zagvozdina. "That is easier said than done.”
Trends are looking up, though. During the Soviet days, Russia was a wheat importer. This year, it is targeted to become the world’s third-largest wheat exporter, after Canada and the United States.
Russian Farmers on Track to Increase Food Exports
Article and Video from VOA
2011-05-16
American Cowboys Ride in a Ranch in Southern Russia
American Cowboys Bring Beef Cows to Russia
Darrell Stevenson, an American cowboy and cattle rancher, is not riding the black earth country of Russia to film a western movie. He is bringing American-bred beef cattle, American ranching technology, and American cowboy knowhow to Russia. After the Soviet Union collapsed, beef production in Russia also collapsed. People just ate the herds as the system of sustaining the cattle broke down. Today, Russia, the world's largest nation, imports most of its beef. |
2011-04-07
Winter Olympics - 2014 Sochi, Russia - Six New Events Added
Six New Events Added for 2014 Sochi Olympics
VOA Sports April 06, 2011
The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia will have six new events, including women's ski jumping.
International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge announced in London Tuesday that the board also approved the addition of men's and women's ski halfpipe, mixed relay in biathlon and team events in luge and figure skating. That means an extra 150 athletes will compete in the Russian Black Sea resort city.
Women's ski jumping had long campaigned to be in the Winter Games and even lost a legal battle for inclusion at last year's Vancouver Olympics.
Rogge said the newest additions "are exciting, entertaining events that perfectly complement the existing events on the sports program" and they "bring added appeal and increase the number of women participating at the games.''
Proposals for inclusion of slopestyle events in snowboard and freestyle skiing and a team Alpine skiing event were put on hold for further review.
In the new event of ski halfpipe, skiers score points for performing tricks and jumps on the same course used for the snowboard halfpipe.
The only remaining Winter Olympics event that does not have both male and female representation is Nordic combined, which features ski jumping followed by a cross country ski race.
Six New Events Added for 2014 Sochi Olympics
Article from VOA
2011-03-20
High Oil Prices - Did you know Russia is the world’s biggest energy exporter?
Russia Gets Giant Boost from Rising Oil Prices
VOA - James Brooke | Moscow March 18, 2011
As much of the world reels from civil unrest and natural disasters, Russia is cashing in on high oil prices that may allow it eliminate its budget deficit in 2011.
Libya suspends oil exports. Political revolts put the Persian Gulf on edge. And Germany and Japan close one quarter of their nuclear reactors.
In today’s energy world, Russia seems to be the winner. Producing 11 percent of the world’s energy output, Russia is the world’s biggest energy exporter.
“This is a huge amount of energy - about five times more than Russia’s share of global GDP or population. This is the basic number,” said Leonid Grigoriev, who studies Russia’s energy economics at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics.
With prices expected to average over $100 a barrel this year, the oil bonanza is expected to erase Russia’s budget deficit this year.
This is timely for the Kremlin, which is handing out pay and pension raises as the nation starts an election cycle. The latest came Friday when President Dmitry Medvedev announced that salaries for soldiers will triple next January - just 10 weeks before election day.
Oil and gas pays for about 40 percent of Russia’s budget. Once prices rise over $27 a barrel, Russia’s Finance Ministry takes in 90 cents for each dollar.
”This is why the Russia depends so much on oil and on oil prices,” said Leonid Grigoriev. “And that’s why any turmoil in the world immediately brings money to the Ministry of Finance.”
Today, foreign currency reserves are growing at $100 million a week. By the end of March, Russia’s total reserves are to hit $500 billion - the world’s third largest, after China and Japan.
Now, economists are now raising Russia’s economic growth estimate for 2011 to five percent - the highest level since 2008, the year the economic crisis hit.
Higher oil earnings filter down to Russian consumers.
Last year, car sales and overseas travel jumped by one third. The equivalent of 10 percent of Russian took foreign vacations. Next year, Russia is to displace Germany as Europe’s largest car market. In February, Ford, GM and Volkwagen announced new joint ventures to produce more cars in Russia.
Russians spend now, because they are never certain about the future.
In one decade, the oil price gyrated wildly - from a low of $8 a barrel in 1998 to a peak of $147 in 2008.
Looking at the long term, analysts say Japan's nuclear crisis may benefit Russia by pushing the world energy pendulum away from nuclear toward natural gas. Germany imports almost half of its gas from Russia. Even before the crisis, Russia was investing to increase gas production by 50 percent over the next 20 years.
The downside is that high prices ease pressures to cut corruption, to diversify the economy and to lighten the hand of government on business.
Chris Weafer, chief strategist with Uralsib Capital, fears that the new flood of oil earnings is leading the Kremlin to slow its privatization program.
“We have seen it in the Gulf Arab countries. and we saw it in Russia in the last 10 years that as the oil price is rising governments talk about the need for reform and using the money wisely, but as the price goes up too high, the whole process slows down, people become complacent, they become lazy, they live the good life as it were, until the collapse comes,” he said. “And then then whole process starts again.”
In public opinion polls, corruption rivals food prices as the number one public complaint for Russians. According to Transparency International, Russia is the most corrupt of the Group of 20 major economies.
Last week in a speech in Moscow, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden clearly warned Russia that corruption scares away investors.
“No amount of government cheerleading or public relations or U.S. support or rebranding will bring wronged or nervous investors back to a market they perceive to have these shortcomings,” he said. “Only bold and genuine change.“
As Biden spoke, new economic data came in. Despite the oil price rises, despite the run up in the Russian stock markets, the country suffered a net loss in investment capital in February.
“Despite the stock market and despite the oil prices, people are still very skeptical that there is going to be material change in Russia,” said strategist Chris Weafer. “Right now, they are voting with their wire transfers."
Another cloud on Russia’s horizon is demographic. Over this decade, the Russian workforce is expected to shrink by 10 million people, or 15 percent.
Solutions are not popular: raising the retirement age, increasing immigration, and raising productivity through more foreign investment. And those measures will not be taken until after Russia’s presidential election - one year from now.
Russia Gets Giant Boost from Rising Oil Prices
Article from VOA
VOA - James Brooke | Moscow March 18, 2011
As much of the world reels from civil unrest and natural disasters, Russia is cashing in on high oil prices that may allow it eliminate its budget deficit in 2011.
Libya suspends oil exports. Political revolts put the Persian Gulf on edge. And Germany and Japan close one quarter of their nuclear reactors.
In today’s energy world, Russia seems to be the winner. Producing 11 percent of the world’s energy output, Russia is the world’s biggest energy exporter.
“This is a huge amount of energy - about five times more than Russia’s share of global GDP or population. This is the basic number,” said Leonid Grigoriev, who studies Russia’s energy economics at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics.
With prices expected to average over $100 a barrel this year, the oil bonanza is expected to erase Russia’s budget deficit this year.
This is timely for the Kremlin, which is handing out pay and pension raises as the nation starts an election cycle. The latest came Friday when President Dmitry Medvedev announced that salaries for soldiers will triple next January - just 10 weeks before election day.
Oil and gas pays for about 40 percent of Russia’s budget. Once prices rise over $27 a barrel, Russia’s Finance Ministry takes in 90 cents for each dollar.
”This is why the Russia depends so much on oil and on oil prices,” said Leonid Grigoriev. “And that’s why any turmoil in the world immediately brings money to the Ministry of Finance.”
Today, foreign currency reserves are growing at $100 million a week. By the end of March, Russia’s total reserves are to hit $500 billion - the world’s third largest, after China and Japan.
Now, economists are now raising Russia’s economic growth estimate for 2011 to five percent - the highest level since 2008, the year the economic crisis hit.
Higher oil earnings filter down to Russian consumers.
Last year, car sales and overseas travel jumped by one third. The equivalent of 10 percent of Russian took foreign vacations. Next year, Russia is to displace Germany as Europe’s largest car market. In February, Ford, GM and Volkwagen announced new joint ventures to produce more cars in Russia.
Russians spend now, because they are never certain about the future.
In one decade, the oil price gyrated wildly - from a low of $8 a barrel in 1998 to a peak of $147 in 2008.
Looking at the long term, analysts say Japan's nuclear crisis may benefit Russia by pushing the world energy pendulum away from nuclear toward natural gas. Germany imports almost half of its gas from Russia. Even before the crisis, Russia was investing to increase gas production by 50 percent over the next 20 years.
The downside is that high prices ease pressures to cut corruption, to diversify the economy and to lighten the hand of government on business.
Chris Weafer, chief strategist with Uralsib Capital, fears that the new flood of oil earnings is leading the Kremlin to slow its privatization program.
“We have seen it in the Gulf Arab countries. and we saw it in Russia in the last 10 years that as the oil price is rising governments talk about the need for reform and using the money wisely, but as the price goes up too high, the whole process slows down, people become complacent, they become lazy, they live the good life as it were, until the collapse comes,” he said. “And then then whole process starts again.”
In public opinion polls, corruption rivals food prices as the number one public complaint for Russians. According to Transparency International, Russia is the most corrupt of the Group of 20 major economies.
Last week in a speech in Moscow, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden clearly warned Russia that corruption scares away investors.
“No amount of government cheerleading or public relations or U.S. support or rebranding will bring wronged or nervous investors back to a market they perceive to have these shortcomings,” he said. “Only bold and genuine change.“
As Biden spoke, new economic data came in. Despite the oil price rises, despite the run up in the Russian stock markets, the country suffered a net loss in investment capital in February.
“Despite the stock market and despite the oil prices, people are still very skeptical that there is going to be material change in Russia,” said strategist Chris Weafer. “Right now, they are voting with their wire transfers."
Another cloud on Russia’s horizon is demographic. Over this decade, the Russian workforce is expected to shrink by 10 million people, or 15 percent.
Solutions are not popular: raising the retirement age, increasing immigration, and raising productivity through more foreign investment. And those measures will not be taken until after Russia’s presidential election - one year from now.
Russia Gets Giant Boost from Rising Oil Prices
Article from VOA
2011-03-01
E-Cards for Cash-Free Transactions - Russia to Introduce
Russia to Introduce E-Cards for Cash-Free Transactions
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 - VOA
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has introduced the e-card for Russians to use for cash-free payments on nearly all goods and services.
All Russians at least 14 years old will be issued one card to replace the numerous others that many now carry, including student IDs, medical and pension cards, and subway tickets.
Mr. Medvedev Monday called the new e-card a “radical elevation of the digital culture” that will better protect Russians. He ordered officials to have the new card ready for use by January 1.
A consortium of Russian banks is expected to pick up the bill for the new e-card system, which is expected to cost more than $5 billion.
Officials are assuring skeptical Russians afraid that their personal financial data could be hacked that the new card will be secure.
Russia to Introduce E-Cards for Cash-Free Transactions
Article from VOA
2011-01-27
International Space Station - New Era in Space - Russia, USA
Russia, US Set to Forge New Era in Space
International Space Station
When the Soviet Union put the first man in space in 1961, Yuri Gagarin’s flight was celebrated as a major Cold War victory. And as Russia gears up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that flight in April, it also prepares for once unheard of cooperation with its former Cold War enemy, the United States.
NASA has cancelled its plans for a post-shuttle space vehicle. Until U.S. commercial firms build spaceships capable of carrying humans, America plans to pay Russia to ferry U.S. astronauts to space on board Soyuz spacecraft.
NASA is retiring the shuttle despite believing it is technologically more sophisticated than the Soyuz, says Robert Navias, the agency's program and mission operations lead. “The Soyuz, by comparison, you can think of as a sports car, three crewmembers jammed into a small section of a module," he said.
A string of incidents related to Soyuz has raised concerns. Problems during a landing in April 2008 resulted in a dangerously steep re-entry trajectory.
Russian Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev says the older technology of the Soyuz is nothing to worry about. "They built it in such a way that we can change some parts, some hardware and actually this Soyuz is going to be different, because we changed the computer, we changed some logic and still it inherits some reliability," he said.
The U.S. will pay Russia more than $50 million for each round trip ticket to the Space Station. So far, six seats are reserved for 2013 and 2014.
Rising powers such as China and India are entering a new era of competition for space supremacy. But former Cold War foes Russia and the U.S. have put rivalry aside, in favor of cooperation in the exploration of space.
Russia, US Set to Forge New Era in Space - International Space Station news article and video from VOA
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