The Zarya spacecraft (Russian: Заря, lit. 'Dawn') was a secret Soviet project of the late 1980s aiming to design and build a large crewed vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL) reusablespace capsule,[1] a much larger replacement for the Soyuz (spacecraft). The project was developed during the years of 1985–1989 by Energia corporation until it was shelved in 1989, "on the eve of the Soviet Union's collapse" due to lack of funding.[1] The name of the project was later reused by the Zarya space station module which served as the first component of International Space Station in 1998.
Design
The Zarya spacecraft would have differed from all previous spacecraft by having an array of a dozen rocket engines for making a soft landing upon return to Earth, without using a parachute.[1]
Mission
The Zarya spacecraft would have brought crew and supplies to Mir or supplies only in an uncrewed mode.[2]
It would have had a normal crew size of one or two, and offered the possibility of carrying a maximum of eight to twelve if used in a lifeboat configuration.[3][4]
Timeline
1985 January 27
Preliminary design work began on the Zarya "Super Soyuz". The concept was a reusable spacecraft, launched by Zenit launch vehicle. with all but a small ring of retro rockets being recovered in the landing module, while also being able to deliver cargo to and from orbit. Carriage in payload bay of Buran shuttle was also a requirement for the program.
1986 December 22
Zarya "Super Soyuz" briefed to the Military-Industrial Commission.[5]
During 1989
Zarya "Super Soyuz" cancelled on financial grounds. [5]
See also
McDonnell Douglas DC-X – Prototype single-stage-to-orbit rocket developed & flown between 1991-1996
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Zak, Anatoly (2009-04-29). "Russia mulls rocket power 'first'". BBC News. Retrieved 2011-10-11. RKK Energia, ... in the 1980s ... worked on a highly classified project to develop a large manned capsule, called Zarya ("Dawn"), for a wide range of civilian and military missions.
