Russian private space company NSTR RT comes out of the information shadow
The story of the explosion on engine tests "Lin Industrial" has created additional intrigue. It turned out that the first in Russia tests of a rocket engine by a private company had passed a month before the Lin Industrial accident, in November 2016, and was carried out by the NSTR Rocket Technologies company. At the same time, Roscosmos TV put the story about the testing of Nikolai Dzis-Voynarovsky’s interview, signing it as an employee of Lin Industrial, while at the time of publication he was already working at the NTRR RT. In December, the NSTR RT website was empty, and Nikolay himself did not want to share information about the company with the public. Then the lack of reliable information further fueled the scandal; there were hotheads on the Astronautics News forum, claiming that neither a company nor an engine actually existed. Six months later, I was contacted by representatives of the NSTR RT company and agreed to answer a few questions.
Employees of NSTR RT at the InSpace Forum 2017
When did your company appear? Who is its director, and why did he decide to engage in private space activities? What is the company going to do?
The private space company LLC NSTR Rocket Technologies was registered on August 18, 2016, but entered the active work phase three months later. LLC NSTR Rocket Technologies is included in the group of companies NSTR, the goal of the enterprises: the creation of a sustainable business in the field of cosmonautics, space and space programs. The managing director of the NSTR Group of Companies is Viktor Chernikov, who has been involved in everything “near cosmic and cosmic” since early childhood. At the moment, NSTR RT is working in the design office mode and is searching for a suitable plot of land for building its own production base, looking for contractors for future construction.
How many people are in the company now, and where did they come from?
At the moment, four people are working directly on the project, in the half-year perspective we are ready to bring the number of employees to ten. If we talk in general about the specialists involved in “Rocket Technologies”, we can talk about 14, but they are mainly engaged in escorting the company. Website creation, PR, finance, accounting ... People come to the company mainly by personal invitation, the circle of specialists is not so great. The specific task is to design and launch a private space rocket, which requires narrow specialization, and the right people are generally known.
Where does the company get money for work?
The company exists entirely through private investment. We did not attract grants from third-party funds.
Why did you rather hide information about yourself before, and now have changed your mind?
The private space company NSTR Rocket Technologies is a completely open company, and we do not hide anything, if only the disclosure of information, according to management, does not threaten the interests of the enterprise. Until the moment when our engine was created, it didn’t make much sense to raise “hype” The leadership is focused on real things, and there is not much point in investing effort, time and money in something that really does not work, but it sounds like something ambitious. Statements about big goals are not their achievement. We declared our existence after achieving concrete, albeit intermediate, results. “The first company that conducted the fire tests”, “the first private space company that mastered the technology of creating LRE”. Now we are paying more attention to public relations, including this can be seen on our website and on the main social networks.
Your engine - why did you choose such a fuel pair, size, draft? How was it developed, when experienced, characteristics?
Nitrous oxide fuel vapor - kerosene was chosen as a possible basis for the future. Other parameters - according to the criterion of sufficiency for tests. The engine on test developed 85 kilogram, after modifications on new trials in 2017 - 100 kg. The stand has now passed all the necessary tests, repeatedly proving its efficiency.
Is this engine an intermediate stage, or will you operate it? On a rocket with what characteristics?
At the moment, the company has begun work on the creation of a "large" LRE. Our second engine will already be used directly on the rocket. Under the name ERRAI, it will be able to put satellites weighing 1-10 kg into orbit.
What are relatively close and concrete plans of the company? What news to wait for?
Relatively close: own production base, new LRE, stand, creation of own RN (consistently). The company continues its work! And preparing for consolidation, according to the previously outlined plan. News in the near future should become more! Perhaps, as before, much will come as a surprise to the public! But these are pleasant surprises for everyone who cares about the Russian cosmos.
Over the past six months, content has begun to appear on the NSTR website . It also says that in addition to the ultralight rocket, the company is engaged in a project of robotic telescopes with access via the Internet. It is good that NSTR RT has emerged from the information shadow, let's hope for good news from them.
Employees of NSTR RT at the InSpace Forum 2017
When did your company appear? Who is its director, and why did he decide to engage in private space activities? What is the company going to do?
The private space company LLC NSTR Rocket Technologies was registered on August 18, 2016, but entered the active work phase three months later. LLC NSTR Rocket Technologies is included in the group of companies NSTR, the goal of the enterprises: the creation of a sustainable business in the field of cosmonautics, space and space programs. The managing director of the NSTR Group of Companies is Viktor Chernikov, who has been involved in everything “near cosmic and cosmic” since early childhood. At the moment, NSTR RT is working in the design office mode and is searching for a suitable plot of land for building its own production base, looking for contractors for future construction.
How many people are in the company now, and where did they come from?
At the moment, four people are working directly on the project, in the half-year perspective we are ready to bring the number of employees to ten. If we talk in general about the specialists involved in “Rocket Technologies”, we can talk about 14, but they are mainly engaged in escorting the company. Website creation, PR, finance, accounting ... People come to the company mainly by personal invitation, the circle of specialists is not so great. The specific task is to design and launch a private space rocket, which requires narrow specialization, and the right people are generally known.
Where does the company get money for work?
The company exists entirely through private investment. We did not attract grants from third-party funds.
Why did you rather hide information about yourself before, and now have changed your mind?
The private space company NSTR Rocket Technologies is a completely open company, and we do not hide anything, if only the disclosure of information, according to management, does not threaten the interests of the enterprise. Until the moment when our engine was created, it didn’t make much sense to raise “hype” The leadership is focused on real things, and there is not much point in investing effort, time and money in something that really does not work, but it sounds like something ambitious. Statements about big goals are not their achievement. We declared our existence after achieving concrete, albeit intermediate, results. “The first company that conducted the fire tests”, “the first private space company that mastered the technology of creating LRE”. Now we are paying more attention to public relations, including this can be seen on our website and on the main social networks.
Your engine - why did you choose such a fuel pair, size, draft? How was it developed, when experienced, characteristics?
Nitrous oxide fuel vapor - kerosene was chosen as a possible basis for the future. Other parameters - according to the criterion of sufficiency for tests. The engine on test developed 85 kilogram, after modifications on new trials in 2017 - 100 kg. The stand has now passed all the necessary tests, repeatedly proving its efficiency.
Is this engine an intermediate stage, or will you operate it? On a rocket with what characteristics?
At the moment, the company has begun work on the creation of a "large" LRE. Our second engine will already be used directly on the rocket. Under the name ERRAI, it will be able to put satellites weighing 1-10 kg into orbit.
What are relatively close and concrete plans of the company? What news to wait for?
Relatively close: own production base, new LRE, stand, creation of own RN (consistently). The company continues its work! And preparing for consolidation, according to the previously outlined plan. News in the near future should become more! Perhaps, as before, much will come as a surprise to the public! But these are pleasant surprises for everyone who cares about the Russian cosmos.
Conclusion
Over the past six months, content has begun to appear on the NSTR website . It also says that in addition to the ultralight rocket, the company is engaged in a project of robotic telescopes with access via the Internet. It is good that NSTR RT has emerged from the information shadow, let's hope for good news from them.
All Articles