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The 8th Annual
International Workshop Space Development: Theory and Practice
(SDTP) was held again in 2005  under the aegis of the Federal Space
Agency in Korolev, Moscow Region, from July 2 till 12.
 This year
representatives of Slovenia, Scotland, United Kingdom, USA and
Russia were among the participants of the workshop. All of them were
interested in Space investigations, and wanted to know more about
the process of “Baumanets” microsatellite design.
The main goal for the
organizers of SDTP-2005 was to make its program versatile and
informative for everyone who took part in it. The official Opening
Ceremony of the workshop took place in Federal Space Agency where
the Agency Head Anatoly Perminov made a presentation devoted to the
current
 status and prospect of Russian Space Development Program and
answered the questions of those who wished.
During the conference
the participants had an exclusive opportunity to visit such Russian
enterprises associated with Space industry as Scientific and Production
Association “Zvezda”, which designs and produces helmets, spacesuits
and emergency evacuation systems for aviation; Khrunichev Space center
which is one of the world’s leaders in launch vehicle and spacecraft
development;
 Rocket and Space Corporation “Energia”, Russia’s
leading company that designs, manufactures, tests, launches and
operates manned spacecrafts; Research and
 Development Center ScanEx, the activity of which is
devoted to design and control
of stations for receiving and processing the pictures of the Earth
Surface .
Living in the hotel of
the Skill Development Institute of Machine- and Instrument Building (IPK)
which is ideally suited to support the workshop, the conferees were
able to visit Monino Air Force Museum, the biggest aviation museum
on the territory of the former USSR; Orevo Facility of Bauman Moscow
State Technical University, an active training centre for the
university’s engineering students; The Yuriy Gagarin
 Cosmonaut
Training Center at Star City (Zvezdny Gorodok), where the
participants of SDTP workshop could see the Mir space station
training area, the hydro laboratory neutral buoyancy facility, the
centrifuge and other unique equipment.  There also was organized an
excursion to the world’s famous Mission Control Center, in the
program of which the demonstration film about life of cosmonauts
and astronauts on the orbit was included.
SDTP-2005 workshop also
included the meeting with cosmonauts Sergey Krikalev and Alexander
Lazutkin, astronauts Bill McArthur, Jefferey Williams and the
participant
 of visiting occupier Gregory Olsen. A lot of
fascinating descriptions about flights into Space, trainings and
life in The Yuriy Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and many other
facts as well as the opinion of these specialists about the future
of Space exploration became an unforgettable impression for all who
could visit this discussion.
One of important parts
of SDTP-2005 was the course of lectures given by the specialists of Khrunichev Space center and Research and Development Center ScanEx,
devoted to the goals, tasks, problems and prospects of microsatellites design and development, as well as
 the construction of
optic, electronic and transmitting devices used onboard the space
vehicles. During the course of studying there also was paid special
attention to the principles of receiving, processing and practical
use of the pictures, accepted with the help of receiving terminals.
The participants of the workshop were even able to operate the
receiving terminal “Liana”.
Talking about spending
free time, it’s necessary to mention excursions to Red Square,
Kremlin’s Cathedrals, Arbat-street, Tretyakov Art
 Gallery , Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Laura and other famous places. It should specially be told about
visiting the Bolshoi Theatre and very cheerful boat trip down the
Moscow river with barbecue in the end root.
SDTP-2005 was a very
good chance for people from all over the world not only to
communicate with each other but also to exchange their experience in
Space development at the Scientific Conference which took place at
the end of the workshop.
The 9th
Annual International Space Workshop SDTP-2006 is planned to be
held in July the next year. And among aforementioned points of
program it will include visit to Lavochkin Scientific
and Production Association, Russian’s leader in development and production of space
probes and planetary rovers.
Anna Grechisheva.
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