Russia has announced a new, promising, reusable manned transport spacecraft. This development comes after nearly two decades of discussions between Russia and the European Space Agency regarding collaboration on next-generation crewed spacecraft. Initially, Europe was to provide a service module for a crew capsule that could carry up to six passengers. However, Europe ultimately opted not to pursue the project, leading Roscosmos, Russia's state-backed space corporation, to continue independently.
Evolution of the Project
Over the years, this project has undergone various name changes and has often seemed more like a facade than a genuine effort to produce hardware. After nearly 20 years of development, the question remains: is anything actually happening with the Eagle spacecraft?
Leadership Changes
The relatively new chief executive of Roscosmos, Dmitry Bakanov, has reportedly dropped the Eagle name previously favored by his predecessor, Dmitry Rogozin. In a recent article by Interfax, the spacecraft is now referred to as PTK NP. Bakanov stated that tests of the spacecraft's parachute system are set to begin this fall. He remarked:
