The authors, leading representatives of Russian space research and industry, show the results and future prospects of astronautics at the start of the third millennium. The focus is on the development of astronautics in Russia in the new historical and economic conditions. The text spotlights the basic trends in space related issues before moving on to describe the possibilities of the wide use of space technologies and its numerous applications such as navigation and communication, space manufacturing, and space biotechnology. The book contains a large amount of facts described in a way understandable without specialist knowledge. The text is accompanied by many photographs, charts and diagrams, mostly in color.

Inhalt

Preface to the English language edition / Preface to the Russian edition Introduction Trends in global space exploration - Global astronautics, a general survey Orbital facilities as they are / Foreign launch facilities / Spaceports of the world / Spacecraft control systems abroad. The present state of the art and the prospect for the future / Trends in restructuring Aerospace Industry / Reliability as the basis of efficient functioning of space systems in the future / Space and national security The Main Trends in Development of Astronautics in Russia A leap in improvement of orbital facilities / Russia's launch vehicles / Manned astronautics as the trend line / Power plants and propulsion units of space rocketry / The necessity of dual use technologies in space The Ground-Based Infrastructure Russia's spaceports, state and prospects / The state and prospects of development of spacecraft ground-based facilities and control systems / Operation systems. The state and prospective development / The prospects of development of software for space Space exploration and ecology: Space contribution to ecology / The impact of space and missile technology on the environment / Pollution of the Earth's surface / Near-earth space and space exploration / Environment-friendly space technology has no alternatives / International law aspects of space ecology