In Russia, they started talking about creating a super-heavy space rocket. Its layout will be shown at the Army-2018 forum at the end of August. At the same time, the super-heavy Soviet rocket Energia, which was created specifically for the reusable transport space system Energia-Buran, can be taken as a basis. This super-heavy launch vehicle is the most powerful Soviet missile and one of the most powerful in the world.
The fact that Roskosmos will show the layout of the Russian super-heavy rocket became known from the materials published on the state procurement website. The documentation, which concerns the exposition of Roscosmos at the Army-2018 forum, states that the Rocket and Space Corporation (RSC) Energia will present a model of a rocket with a height of 5.5 meters, made on a scale of one to twenty. Also within the framework of the forum, RSC Energia is going to present a model of the new Russian rocket Soyuz-5, of which several first stages are planned to create the first stage of a super-heavy rocket. Another model of the Soyuz is planned to be presented by the Progress Rocket and Space Center (RCC) from Samara. It is already known that Energia is engaged in the development of the Soyuz-5 rocket, and it will be assembled in Samara at the facilities of the RCC. The Army-2018 Forum will be held from 21 to 26 August in the Patriot Park near Moscow.
There is also information that the Aerospace Committee of the Ministry of Defense and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Kazkosmos) will take part in the development of a super-heavy Russian rocket. This was reported on August 1 by RIA Novosti with reference to its sources in the Kazakh profile ministries. It is reported that the project of creating a super-heavy rocket is designated in the concept of further cooperation between the two states at the Baikonur cosmodrome as the main one. Also, the two countries intend to jointly develop an ultralight rocket designed to launch small satellites, as well as deploy the production of components for rocket technology at Baikonur.
Earlier, at the beginning of 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the creation of a super-heavy rocket. At the same time it became known that RSC Energia was appointed the main developer of the new rocket. By the end of 2019, the preliminary design process for a new rocket should be completed, and its first launch was then scheduled for 2028. The new super-heavy rocket is planned to be used, in particular, for flights to the Moon and Mars. It is worth noting that Energia engineers were also involved in the development of the most powerful rocket at the moment in the history of our country.
The rocket, developed by the Energia research and production association almost 30 years ago, made only two flights. The first one took place on May 15, 1987 - it was a flight with an experimental load. The second flight was performed on November 15, 1988 as part of the Buran reusable transport space system. Almost exactly three decades have passed since that practically the only targeted rocket launch. Neither before nor after has the domestic space industry created such a powerful rocket that would compete with the Soviet N-1 rocket and the American Saturn-5.
The Soviet super-heavy launch vehicle Energia was an integral part of the Energia-Buran reusable transport space system (MTSS), however, unlike the similar US-made Space Shuttle MTSS, it could also be used autonomously from the space shuttle to deliver cargo to space, having a large mass and dimensions. Cargoes could be delivered not only to the orbit of the Earth, but also to the Moon, as well as to the planets of the Solar System. Also "Energy" could be used for manned flights, its development was associated with Soviet plans for the wide development of industrial and military space. The collapse of the Soviet Union put an end to this ambitious and very expensive space program.
After 30 years, there is a chance that now Russia, albeit in cooperation with other countries, will be able to develop a new super-heavy rocket, using the Soviet reserve for the Energia carrier rocket for this, the new rocket can become the cornerstone for the implementation of all future space ambitions of our country. While the reusable orbital spacecraft "Buran" will remain only a heritage of history, the carrier rocket "Energia" in the reincarnation of the 21st century can become the basis for a new domestic super-heavy rocket. Especially considering that Energia was a unique rocket in every respect. It became the first in the Soviet Union to use cryogenic fuel (hydrogen) in the sustainer stage, and the most powerful missile ever built in the USSR. This can be assessed quite easily - Energia ensured the launch into space of spacecraft weighing five times more than the Proton rocket currently in operation in Russia and three times more than the American Space Shuttle system.
It is worth noting that the super-heavy class of missiles starts at 50 or 60 tons of cargo that can be delivered to low-earth orbit (for higher orbits or for interplanetary flights, this figure is proportionally reduced). The problem is that for 60 years of space exploration, no application has been found for such rockets, except for the launch of manned spacecraft to the moon, as well as the launch of reentry space shuttles into low-Earth orbit. These huge launch vehicles turned out to be too complex, too expensive to manufacture and operate, and too inflexible for more practical use, including for the actively developing satellite launches today for business, scientific and military purposes.
Despite all that has been said, mankind has not abandoned such missiles, but already of a new generation. NASA is working on rockets intended for flights of astronauts outside the Earth's orbit. A giant Space Launch System is being built here. And the new heavy rocket Falcon Heavy of the private American company SpaceX made its impressive first flight at the beginning of 2018, which was also presented as an excellent marketing ploy. China also has its own projects to create super-heavy missiles; it is expected that the Chinese missiles will compete with the legendary Saturn-5 missile.
In the Soviet Union, during the Cold War, the idea of creating its own super-heavy rocket was addressed twice. The first project is the 100-meter H-1 rocket for the lunar program, which was supposed to compete with the American Apollo program. In 1974, after four unsuccessful launches of the N-1 rocket, it was decided to abandon further work on the project. As a result, the USSR needed another 10 years of work in order to create the Energia carrier rocket, which eventually made two successful flights. This 60-meter rocket was recognized by many experts as the most powerful and modern rocket of its time.
However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, this rocket was placed in hangars at the Baikonur cosmodrome, where it rusted safely for many years. Numerous workers in the domestic space industry were forced to forget about its existence, and the key technologies - ultra-complex hydrogen engines - in the industry turned out to be an unclaimed product of high technologies. For almost two decades, when the Russian Federation was struggling to establish itself and find its own place in the world, there could be no question of reviving the Energia rocket. However, the rise in oil prices in the 2000s and the recovery of the Russian economy allowed the country to strengthen its position in the world. That is why the appearance of a new-generation super-heavy rocket seems to be a rather attractive chance for the country, which will help to return Russia to the status quo in the space sphere as well.
In the proposed version, the reincarnation of the Energia rocket will be able to deliver up to 20 tons of cargo to the Moon's orbit or lift up to 80 tons of payload into low-earth orbit. While the first version of Energia could launch a space shuttle attached to it on the side, the new version will be designed to launch the payload on trajectories leading to the moon in the nose cone cargo hold. Having received Kremlin approval for work, Roskosmos signed a contract with rocket manufacturers in April 2018, which must submit a project for a new Russian super-heavy rocket by the end of 2019. At the same time, the competition for the new Energia at the preliminary stage is made up of two lighter and smaller missiles.
In the event that the Energia concept really wins, Russia will need to build the RD-0120 oxygen space engines again. Three such engines will accelerate the main compartment of the new rocket with a diameter of 7, 7 meters (the same as that of the Soviet Energia). And four RD-171s (outboard accelerators of the first stage, powered by kerosene and inherited directly from Energia) will assist the rocket during the first two minutes of its flight. So far, we can only say with certainty that the new super-heavy Russian rocket is at the very beginning of the design process, and there are very few specifics on this project. Perhaps there will be more information for thought when the mock-up of the projected super-heavy missile will be presented to the general public at the end of August at the Army-2018 forum.
