This press release is copyrighted by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE). Its use is granted only to journalists and news media. Embargo date: 26 January 2002, 5:00 p.m. ET.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, its former rocket industries were also pushed to the brink of collapse. However, Russian and Ukrainian companies have managed to keep nearly the entire Soviet fleet flying by turning themselves into commercial space organizations. Through governmental initiatives and partnerships with foreign organizations, infrastructure is being rebuilt after years of decay and rockets have been upgraded, with new designs on the way. But the current state of affairs still embraces a bewildering array of launchers and a complicated set of internal politics.
In the February issue of IEEE Spectrum, Russian space expert Anatoly Zak describes how the current situation has its roots in power struggles during the earliest days of the space age and how a decade of struggle following the end of the USSR has shaped today's fleet. Finally, he looks to the near- and medium-term future to see how Russian and Ukrainian industries will continue to shape the world's activities in space.
Contact: Stephen Cass, 212 419 7754, [email protected].
For a faxed copy of the complete article ("Rockets R Us" by Anatoly Zak, Contributing Editor, IEEE Spectrum, February 2002, pp. 52-58) or to arrange an interview, contact: Nancy T. Hantman, 212 419 7561, [email protected].
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