Now the Russian industry is working on the development of a promising liquid-propellant rocket engine RD-171MV. The uniquely high performance product is intended for launch vehicles of the future and should provide a qualitative breakthrough in the industry. At the same time, 2019 is of particular importance for the program. In the recent past, several major events in the history of the project took place, and more are expected in the coming months.
2019 and the future
Development work on the RD-171MV engine has been carried out since 2017. The project developer is NPO Energomash. The existing RD-171M propulsion system was taken as a basis for the new product - a variant of the development of the older RD-170 engine. Through the use of proven solutions and new components, it was planned to obtain another record increase in performance. The high declared characteristics have already led to the emergence of the nickname "Tsar Engine".
In February 2019, the leadership of Roscosmos announced the completion of the construction of the first experimental RD-171MV. After some preparation, this product is to go to fire tests. In July, NPO Energomash spoke about the assembly of three more experimental engines, and also specified the timing of the start of testing of the first product. These works are scheduled for the second half of December.
At the end of August, the RD-171MV model, along with other developments, was shown at the MAKS-2019 exhibition. At the same time it became known that within the next two years the model of the new engine will be tested with the first stage of the promising Soyuz-5 / Irtysh launch vehicle.
On September 1, information appeared about the intention of NPO Energomash to purchase rolled steel for use in the construction of new engines. In this case, we are talking about “the main production for completing the RD-171MV. The total cost of purchased rolled products is 19.5 million rubles. All this means that in the near future the program will leave the stage of construction of prototypes and move to a new stage.
At the very end of this year, NPO Energomash will launch tests of the first experimental RD-171MV. In the future, other engines will be tested. In 2021, the manufacturer will hand over to subcontractors the first flight kit for mounting on the Soyuz-5 rocket. Several launches of such missiles with new propulsion systems are planned for 2022. No earlier than the mid-twenties, Soyuz-5 and RD-171MV will go into full operation.
Improved design
The RD-171MV product is developed on the basis of existing engines and differs from them in a number of components and technologies, which provides an increase in performance. Also, the new project is interesting in its development methods. This is the first engine of NPO Energomash, originally created in electronic form and without the use of paper documentation.
RD-171MV is a four-chamber rocket engine using a kerosene-oxygen fuel pair. With a dead weight of 10.3 tons, the product is capable of developing 806 tons of thrust in a void. Thermal capacity - 27 thousand MW. An improved turbo pump unit with a capacity of 180 thousand kW was used. Thus, as the developers point out, in terms of certain characteristics, the new rocket engine is similar to a fairly large power plant. In addition, at the moment it is the most powerful rocket engine in the world.
The new engine differs from the previous products of its family not only in characteristics, but also in design features. It uses modern materials and technologies. In addition, completely new elements have been introduced, such as a control system borrowed from the RD-191 engine.
The RD-171MV propulsion system is proposed to be used with new launch vehicles capable of effectively using its high characteristics. Work is already underway to create new missiles of various classes specifically for the Tsar Engine.
Booster rockets
According to current plans, two promising missiles of different classes are being developed to use the RD-171MV. The potential of the propulsion system can be used in medium and super-heavy launch vehicles. Both samples will have to go into operation no earlier than the second half of the twenties.
Since 2015, the Progress Rocket and Space Center has continued to develop a new medium launch vehicle, Soyuz-5, also known as Phoenix and Irtysh. The first stage of such a rocket will be equipped with the RD-171MV installation, the second stage is proposed to use other engines. Flight tests of the Irtysh are scheduled to begin in 2022, and in the middle of the decade it will enter service.
The estimated launch weight of the new rocket will be 530 tons, of which almost 400 tons are fuel and oxidizer for the first stage engine. Irtysh will be able to launch up to 17 tons of cargo into low-earth orbit or 2.5 tons into geostationary orbit. Due to the high characteristics of the first stage engine, the new launch vehicle will show certain advantages over other products of its class.
The Irtysh developments will be used in the project of the Yenisei super-heavy launch vehicle, which is being created by the Energia corporation. Several architecture options for such a rocket have been proposed, with common features and components. The first stage of the Yenisei is proposed to be made in the form of a package of several stages of the Irtysh with RD-171MV engines. The Tsar Engine can also be used in a single-block second stage. The next years are planned to be used for the design and development of the necessary products. The first flight of the Yenisei will take place approximately in 2028.
When using the first stage with six RD-171MV engines, the Yenisei rocket will have a mass of more than 3100 tons and will be able to deliver a load of at least 100 tons to LEO. missions.
Key link
Successful implementation of the existing plans will make it possible to continue the exploration of outer space, both in orbits and in other celestial bodies. The promising Irtysh / Soyuz-5 rocket will be able to supplement and replace the existing carriers delivering equipment to orbits, and more serious tasks will be found for the Yenisei. Moreover, the success of both projects directly depends on the RD-171MV engine.
Tests of the experimental Tsar Engines will begin this year and will last until 2021-22. Then similar products will be tested with the Irtysh missile, and in a few years the first samples of the Yenisei are expected to appear. The current work, in fact, lays the foundation for further practical successes.
Thus, in the medium and long term, the Russian space industry will receive several instruments of different classes at once, suitable for solving a wide range of tasks. The new launch vehicles will provide promising research and development programs as well as strengthen their position in the launch market. The key link in the current plans to create a new rocket and space technology is the "Tsar Engine" - RD-171MV, which has yet to be tested.
