Kliper Spaceplane: ESA-Russia Collaboration that never Materialized

The Kliper spaceplane was a proposed Russian reusable spacecraft intended for crewed missions to low Earth orbit (LEO), the Moon, and potentially Mars. Developed by RSC Energia, it aimed to be a successor to the Soyuz spacecraft and capable of transporting both crew and cargo to space. Key features and concepts associated with the Kliper spaceplane included: Reusability: Designed to be partially reusable, enabling multiple flights after refurbishment similar to the Space Shuttle program. Crew Capacity: Planned to accommodate up to six cosmonauts for missions to the International Space Station (ISS) or other orbital missions. Launch Vehicle: Intended to be launched atop a variety of rockets, including the Soyuz-2 and Angara rockets, depending on mission requirements. Mission Capabilities: Envisioned for missions to the ISS, lunar expeditions, and potentially Mars missions, providing a versatile platform for various space exploration endeavors. Landing System: Planned t