Alpha Lifeboat Credit - © Mark Wade

1995 joint Energia-Rockwell-Khrunichev design for space station Alpha lifeboat based on the Zarya reentry vehicle with a solid retrofire motor, cold gas thruster package. Five years on-orbit storage. Design rejected in June 1996 in favor of use of a modified Soyuz TMA in short term, US X-38 in long term. Mass per crew 1560 kg.

Crew Size: 8. Design Life: 1 days. Orbital Storage: 1,825 days. Length: 7.20 m (23.60 ft). Maximum Diameter: 3.70 m (12.10 ft). Mass: 12,500 kg (27,500 lb). Payload: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Main Engine Propellants: Solid. Electrical System: Batteries. Associated Launch Vehicle: Shuttle.

• 1996 June 1 - Soyuz TMA, X-38 selected as ISS lifeboat over Alpha Lifeboat - Program: ISS.

  The Alpha lifeboat was based on the Zarya reentry vehicle with a solid retrofire motor and cold gas thruster package. The design was rejected in favor of use of modified Soyuz TM in short term, US X-38 in long term.

• Semenov, Yu. P., S P Korolev Space Corporation Energia, RKK Energia, 1994. ISBN: 1896522815. Dual English/Russian language picture book of the history of the Energia Corporation. Many unique photos and drawings of Korolev's rockets and spacecraft. Republished by Apogee books in 2000. More at amazon.com...