On April 11, the first Russian heavy launch vehicle Angara-A5 launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome in the Amur region. The rocket is equipped with an Orion upper stage and carries a test payload. The Angara family of rockets should replace the Proton-M launch vehicles. The Proton rocket has been in operation since the mid-1960s. The Angara-A5 rocket is the first heavy rocket of this type, developed in Russia after the collapse of the USSR. "Angara-A5" is an environmentally friendly rocket, its fuel does not contain toxic elements, unlike the "Proton" rocket, it uses kerosene and an oxidizer - liquid oxygen. Now there are three modifications of the Angara rocket, details are on the screen. The Angara-A5V rocket will be capable of launching a payload weighing up to 37.5 tons into orbit. With the help of Angara-A5 rockets, it is planned to launch automatic spacecraft and modules of the promising Russian orbital station into low-Earth orbit.
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Boston Dynamics presented a new model of the Atlas robot, which it developed jointly with South Korean Hyundai. Now the robot is completely electric, and the hydraulics have been removed. Unlike the previous model of the Atlas robot, which was developed for 11 years and is now not assembled, the new robot has received more powerful drives and has also become more flexible. Now he doesn’t have to walk on two legs, he can fold into different positions. Some users were even frightened by this mobility. The new Atlas robot will be used in production automation; it is reported that the robot is already working at Hyundai factories.
The Dagestan plant Concern KEMZ officially presented the new Russian twin-engine multi-purpose aircraft Alfa-KM. The aircraft is a significantly improved version of the MAI-411 aircraft; for example, due to the use of composites, the Alfa-KM aircraft turned out to be 250 kg lighter than its predecessor. The Russian aircraft - Alfa-KM, is an analogue of the European CS-23 and American FAR-23 aircraft, the demand for small aircraft is growing and its production is now especially relevant. The aircraft is intended for air transportation, air tourism, patrol and other uses in small aviation.
The aircraft is made from Russian components; it was previously reported that the Austrian Rotax 912S engine is used, but there is no data on what it is now. In case of engine failure, the aircraft has a parachute rescue system. Companies from Malaysia, India and Turkey already intend to purchase Dagestani aircraft. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 1250 kg, but it is capable of carrying 4 people over a distance of up to 1500 km, with a cruising speed of up to 250 km/h, at a flight altitude of up to 3000 meters.
The aircraft is made from Russian components; it was previously reported that the Austrian Rotax 912S engine is used, but there is no data on what it is now. In case of engine failure, the aircraft has a parachute rescue system. Companies from Malaysia, India and Turkey already intend to purchase Dagestani aircraft. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 1250 kg, but it is capable of carrying 4 people over a distance of up to 1500 km, with a cruising speed of up to 250 km/h, at a flight altitude of up to 3000 meters.
HYUNDAI CORP. Owns BOSTON DYNAMICS having bought 80% of the company back in 2021.
NASA’s new Hall-effect thruster could unlock small spacecraft revolution
A Hall-effect thruster is a type of ion thruster that accelerates propellant using an electric field. The technology is already widely used in satellites in low Earth orbit.NASA’s H71M sub-kilowatt Hall-effect thruster takes the technology to the next level. It is well-suited to long-duration missions and was designed to enable small spacecraft to reach escape velocity as well as capture orbits.
As such, it could form a crucial part of NASA’s future plans to explore our solar system, the US space agency explained on its website.
This could enable a small spacecraft to reach orbit or even another planet without the help of a rocket launcher.
New Volga S40, K30 and K40 cars are shown in Russia. At an exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was shown new cars of the revived Volga brand. Reportedly, they plan to produce three car models: Volga C40 - class D sedan, Volga K30 - class C crossover, Volga K40 - class D crossover. There is no official information yet about the partner who is helping with the revival of the Soviet car brand. The likely donor for Russian cars is the Chinese cars Changan Raeton Plus, Changan Oshan X5 Plus and Changan Uni-Z. It is worth noting that the design of Chinese cars in recent years has become even better than European ones. All three cars use a gasoline engine with a power of 188 horsepower and a torque of 300 Nm. Presumably a seven-speed automatic transmission and a 1.5 liter engine. The cars are equipped with intelligent driver assistance systems, and Russian services are integrated into the multimedia system. Production of the machines will begin in 2024, and from 2025 - in full cycle mode.
In the Russian village of Bogoslovka, Omsk region, a curious incident occurred: an unknown man flew to a village store to do some shopping in a Robinson R44 helicopter manufactured by the American company Robinson Helicopter. It is worth noting that an hour of helicopter flight costs hundreds of times more than purchased products. The Robinson R44 helicopter is considered one of the safest, thanks to its simple but reliable design. It first took to the air in March 1990; in total, about 6,000 helicopters of this brand were produced and sold.