Posted: Wed, Dec 1, 2004, 8:13 AM ET (1313 GMT)
A Russian company has revealed new details about a spacecraft it hopes will succeed the venerable Soyuz spacecraft in carrying crews to the International Space Station. Officials with RSC Energia showed off a full-scale mockup of the proposed Kliper, or Clipper, spacecraft during a press conference at its headquarters outside Moscow. The six-person reusable spacecraft is designed to launch atop a Zenit launch vehicle, operate in orbit on its own for up to 15 days, and remain docked to the ISS for up to a full year, twice as long as the Soyuz. The landing mode for the spacecraft has yet to be determined: engineers are studying both winged versions that land on a runway as well as parachute landings on land or water. While Energia officials believe they can develop the Kliper for one-tenth the cost of NASA's new Crew Exploration Vehicle, that may still require significant extra funding for the Russian space program. If fully-funded the vehicle would be ready for test flights in 2010. Russia may partner with Europe or another country to speed development, Energia officials said.

Related Links:

•  MSNBC article
•  Photo gallery of Kliper mockup