The topic of space exploration in the USSR has always been top secret. Fortunately, today the veil of mystery is being lifted … For example, similar mystery hovered over the works of the outstanding designer Vladimir Chelomey. His name is mainly associated with the development of the legendary Proton launch vehicle. For 22 years, this launch vehicle was the most powerful in the Soviet Union, launching 20 tons of payload into orbit. Even today, despite the presence of a more powerful rocket "Energia", "Proton" remains a space transport in the implementation of real and promising Russian space programs. In 2001, the Proton-M rocket, which is a modification of the Proton developed by Academician VN Chelomey, took off on its first flight.
However, there was another direction of the designer's activity, which only a very narrow circle of specialists knew about. This direction is associated with the development of its own version of the space shuttle.
Vladimir Nikolaevich never stopped designing rocket-planes. In 1960, S. P. Korolev, motivating the successful flights of ICBMs, proposed to close the design of cruise missiles in the USSR. LI Brezhnev, who was in charge of defense technology, immediately supported him, and the topic was covered up.
However, in the Chelomey Design Bureau V. N. the theme continued, it was brought to its logical conclusion almost clandestinely. In the 1960s, the Chelomey design bureau (OKB-52) launched a project of a promising cruise orbital reusable manned spacecraft to be launched on a Proton carrier rocket. During these years, the projects of rocket-planes "MP-1", "M-12", "R-1" and "R-2" were developed. As a basis for the project, the developments on the Tsybin space rocket plane for the Vostok launch vehicle were used. Already on March 21, 1963, a suborbital launch of a prototype of a light space aircraft R-1 was carried out from the Baikonur cosmodrome on an R-12 rocket. At an altitude of 200 km, the rocket plane separated from the carrier and, with the help of onboard engines, gained an altitude of 400 km, after which it began its descent. The R-1 rocket plane entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 4 km / s, flew 1900 km and landed with a parachute.
In 1964, the appearance of the LKS really appeared. The pilot of this cigar-shaped machine with a variable circular tail and side keels, with appropriate equipment, could make urgent detailed reconnaissance or intercept targets. However, the work was not allowed to be completed.
After the events of 1964, when a verification commission raided the OKB-52, promising projects were forgotten. The light spacecraft project was suspended. The reason for the stop was the concentration of resources on the lunar program of the USSR and the creation of the Soyuz spacecraft, as well as the Spiral aerospace system. In 1966, materials on this development were transferred to the Mikoyan Design Bureau.
In 1976, in the USSR, a government decision was made to create the MTKS, which in many respects duplicated the one developed in the United States: the Soviet party nomenclature by that time began to perceive the West as a standard. For this program it was necessary to develop a rocket carrier "Energia" (general designer Glushko) and a spacecraft "Buran" (general designer Lozino-Lozinsky).
Chelomey was also invited to participate in the program. However, the designer refused, as he was a supporter of asymmetric solutions that allow you to achieve the desired results with less effort. He argued that the development of the MTKS was economically unprofitable for the USSR, and proposed a project for a light space plane launched by the Proton carrier rocket. As a result, the estimate for the development of the transport and space system decreased by an order of magnitude. At the same time, design work was resumed.
After a meticulous analysis of various options, Chelomey chose a project in which the LKS would put 4-5 tons of payload into orbit. In the plane, it was envisaged to maximize the use of the results of flight design tests of models of rocket gliders of the 1960s.
To put the LKS into orbit, it was proposed to use a ready-made launch vehicle "Proton K" ("UR500K"). The use of the finished launch vehicle significantly reduced the time and costs for the creation of the LSC. Outwardly, the device was very reminiscent of the "Buran" in miniature. Moreover, their aerodynamic and operational characteristics were very similar. To accelerate the creation on the plane, it was proposed to use spent systems, units and assemblies with the Almaz and TKS OPS. The flight of the LKS in a manned version was supposed to last up to 10 days and in an unmanned one - 1 year. The 19-meter light space plane had a mass of 20 tons with a payload of 4 tons. The LKS crew consisted of two people.
The light space plane was originally designed as a multi-purpose vehicle that allows solving a wide range of tasks in the interests of the national economy, science and defense. It was also supposed to work out the technique of flight of a space plane. The light space plane was designed to transport useful space cargo, as well as to assemble orbital settlements like the Soviet Mir and the American International Space Station, or to destroy major strategic points and neutralize intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The photo shows a full-scale model of a light space plane designed by Chelomey. One of the monuments of Soviet cosmonautics was hastily dismantled and destroyed in order to maintain secrecy.
A feature of the light space aircraft was the use of a heat-shielding coating used on the reusable reentry vehicle of the Almaz complex. This thermal protection provided one hundred return cycles from outer space. In addition, it was much cheaper and more reliable than the Buran and Space Shuttle tiles. Also from the "Almaz" had to "migrate" systems to ensure the life of the crew, management and the like.
Unfortunately, there was no customer for civil transport among our departments and ministries, then Chelomey V. N. launched a program that E. P. Velikhov, the world famous academician, called "Star Wars". The project was quite daring and stunning. Those were released. proposals for LKS in 25 volumes, as well as a technical proposal for the creation of a space fleet from light space aircraft in 15 volumes. The LKS itself was proposed to be created within four years. These proposals of support from the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the industry did not find. Despite this, Chelomey V. N. on his own initiative he developed a draft design of a space plane. The main focus of the project was on the military use of a light space aircraft. The main task was to place laser weapons into low-earth orbit to prevent a nuclear attack. At the same time, 360 orbital aircraft with laser weapons on board had to be put into orbit. With this "rate of fire" they were going to bring up to 90 launches of "Protons" per year. Naturally, unmanned aerial vehicles had to be launched to ensure that light space aircraft were on duty in orbit for a long time. At the same time, in the event that the level of military confrontation was reduced to safe limits, laser weapons returned to Earth. In fact, this proposal was a "Chelomey" response to the US SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative).
In 1980, based on the results of the preliminary design, a full-size mock-up of a light space aircraft was manufactured.
Such a proposal, naturally, interested both the military and the leaders of the USSR, who were worried about the deployment of SDI. In September 1983, a state commission was created to protect the light space aircraft project. The commission included representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the electronics industry, general mechanical engineering, A. P. Aleksandrov, President of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and others. The main opponent on the defense was G. V. Kisunko, the general designer of missile defense systems, since the creation of a fleet of light space aircraft with laser weapons devalued ground-based anti-missile defense systems. In fact, Kisunko defended his own narrow departmental interests. Nevertheless, he was able to attract the military to his side, and the government commission decided to stop work on the LKS.
Further work was stopped in favor of the Energia-Buran reusable transport space system, and the KB forces were directed to work on the space complex of the station and the Almaz spacecraft. In the interests of secrecy, the manufactured layout of the LKS was disassembled, and the technical documentation was classified. Until now, several photographs of the layout of the Chelomey light space plane have survived.
Perhaps, if the work on the light spacecraft had not been shut down, now in Russia there would be a mobile and relatively cheap reusable transport ship that would not have suffered the fate of the Buran (it is idle). However, it is difficult to imagine that V. P. Glushko allowed to use LKS Chelomey to supply its orbital stations.
Specifications:
Developer - MKB Mechanical Engineering (KB Chelomey V. N.), 1980;
LKS length - 18, 75 m;
Height - 6, 7 m;
Wingspan - 11.6 m;
Payload compartment length - 6.5 m;
Payload compartment diameter - 2.5 m;
Payload weight - 4.0 tons;
Aircraft weight with ADS SAS - 25, 75 tons;
Control mass in orbit (at an inclination of 51.65 degrees at an altitude of 220-259 km) - 19.95 tons;
Landing weight - 18.5 tons;
Fuel supply for maneuvering - 2.0 tons;
The maximum duration of a manned flight is 1 month;
The maximum duration of an unmanned flight is 1 year;
Lateral maneuver when descending in the atmosphere +/- 2000 km;
Maximum landing speed - 300 km / h;
Prepared based on materials:
