| Summary: | A25 September 2005, Barents Sea, near Murmansk.Ten metres under the surface of the sea, the launch tube of the Mstislav, a Rostropovich class nuclear submarine, grinds open. The countdown for the launch of a Volna R-29R slbm (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile) starts: For many years, satellites were launched into orbit in the nose cone of a dispensable rocket. This is a very costly procedure with limited possibilities, which is why the Space Shuttle project was launched. Since this did not yield the expected savings, the new solution is thought to be a fully reusable launcher that looks a bit like an aircraft. Delft researchers are working on an experimental spacecraft that can be reused upon returning to earth after re-entry through the atmosphere. The capsule is to be launched in 2003 from a Russian submarine, and will be carried aloft by a Volna (Stingray) missile.
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