Not sure if this is the correct place to put this, but the main Russian space company is in financial trouble, which could potentially jeopardize a whole lot of things:

http://in.reuters.com/article/businessNews...-28756020070731

The dollar vs. ruble exchange rate has probably not helped much over the past few years.

True; Russian boost isn't as inexpensive an alternative as it used to be. They still launch a lot of commercial traffic, though.

Kind of a strange article, not really clear on the detailed reasons for the shake-up. Seems like the main issue here was that the fired chief (Sevastianov) either devoted too many resources to a proposal to replace the Soyuz with a reuseable vehicle ("Clipper"), or wasn't responsive enough to Roskosmos' requirements in other respects. Roskosmos apparently cancelled the Clipper proposal rather abruptly last month.

It sounded to me like he was trying to sell the space agency a design that they did not want [to fund?]

The Cliper announcements were a bit weird and confusing as well. We are going to [maybe] design this thing [for whom?]

Yeah, you know what I'm saying, then. Methinks that there is more to this than meets the eye...

>... but the main Russian space company is in financial trouble
Incorrect. Under Sevastianov's managment RKK has made profits. For the first time in post-soviet history. The problem is not economical but of political nature. Sevastianov had to many fantastic ideas, that's the main reason of his resignation. But still he tried to do something. As stated Moiseev, Roscosmos official (Chief Deputy or something) : "our goal is to REMAIN among space nations". Not to "became a leader", "to develope new technologies", but "to REMAIN".
We are in the deep mourning after such "space policy".

Okay, that makes sense; suspected that something like that was really what was going on. Apparently the powers-that-be are perfectly happy lofting commercials..."if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Still, that only can work for so long. In order to remain competitive, RKK will ultimately have to diversify its products and services, and it's one hell of a lot better to be proactive than to try to play catch-up when, for example, China unveils a Long March (X) that has twice the throw weight at half the price of a Soyuz-U...

RSC-E does not produce the Soyuz-U

Thanks for the clarification, Jim. I was just reaching for an analogy, didn't research the facts. What exactly is their prime product line, anyhow, the Soyuz/Progress spacecraft themselves?

Soyuz/Progress spacecraft
TSUP, the Russian MCC
PIRS
DCM
Russian ISS segment logistics
and

until lately a whole lot of powerpoint charts

Ah! Unmistakable evidence of a government connection, then... Thanks as always for sharing your knowledge, sir.