The Russians are now talking about a partially reusable replacement for Soyuz.
Interesting, if they can actually make something of this effort. Koptev’s neener-neenering about our ability to put up the funds for Constellation are a bit surprising, considering the state of both the Russian economy and its space program. The U.S. actually has plenty of money to develop Constellation (political support is the questionable element) — where is he going to get the money to fund development of this new spacecraft, let alone the new Soyuz-derived launcher he mentions?
That aside, I wish them well. I half expect that they are proposing this precisely because they expect Constellation to come to naught, leaving us without it or Shuttle, and they plan to be there to offer us a ride.
[via Mark Whittington]