http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7519723.stm
(((I'd heard about it, but until I saw this artist impression
I didn't realize it was so ungainly. The Space Shuttle's not exactly a looker, but this thing's like a flying spark plug.)))
(((And it's clearly a capsule, not a Shuttle-style
"space truck." I guess if we're gonna get anything bigger and fancier, it's gonna be lashed together by flying billionaires rather than by government consortia.)))
Link: BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Manned spaceship design unveiled.
(...)
The 18-to-20-tonne Russian-European vehicle is designed to carry six crew into low-Earth orbit and four on missions to lunar orbit.
One of the most unusual features about the capsule appear to be the thrusters and landing gear on its underside. Mr Zak said it would use these engines to soften its landing on Earth after the fiery re-entry through our atmosphere.
The European Space Agency (Esa) has been talking to its Russian counterpart Roscosmos about collaborating on the Crew Space Transportation System (CSTS) since 2006....
