Overview
Excalibur Almaz Limited (EA) is a private, international space exploration company formed in 2005 and based in the British Isles in Isle of Man. The company was created to provide routine, affordable access to and from space for customers around the globe. Using updated and modernized proven legacy space systems and technology, EA plans to offer transportation for purposes of exploration, research, and science. Customers are expected to include private enterprises, educational organizations and international governments.
EA is employing elements of a legacy Russian space program known as "Almaz." Working in technical cooperation with Almaz program creator, JSC MIC NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM), and many of the engineers and managers who oversaw the program from its beginning, EA is modernizing key elements of the Almaz space system with assistance from leading international aerospace contractors. Because the key elements of the original Almaz system have already undergone validation and flight testing by NPOM, the development, design, testing and engineering timeline is significantly streamlined, providing enormous cost advantages to customers awaiting the opportunity to fly in space.
EA will offer space flights of up to one week. Each flight will accommodate two or more crewmembers and a commander, along with cargo, scientific experiments or other payloads.
The Excalibur Almaz space system will consist of a reusable re-entry vehicle (capsule) and a support module that will provide crewmembers room to operate in space. EA plans for Excalibur Almaz spacecraft to be compatible with a variety of launch vehicles and launch from a number of launch sites around the globe. Each Excalibur Almaz flight will be commanded by an experienced astronaut or cosmonaut.
For engineering and operations support, EA has contracted with premier aerospace organizations, including NPOM in Russia, Space Flight Operations (SFO) a subsidiary of United Space Alliance in the United States; EADS Astrium Space Transportation in Europe; and Japan Manned Space Systems in Japan. EA intends to begin flight tests of the Almaz hardware by 2012 and to launch its first revenue flight as early as 2013.
EA's international management team and advisors include astronauts, cosmonauts, senior aerospace industry leaders, and entrepreneurs.