Russian RD-180 rocket engines: specifications

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Russian RD-180 rocket engines have become a bone of contention between the two American companies United Launch Alliance (ULA) and rival Orbital Sciences. The former prevents the latter from purchasing engines for its Antares missiles.

Clash of the Titans

It was the participation of Orbital Sciences in government tender purchases that was to blame. ULA illegally prevents competitors from purchasing RD-180 engines from two companies. These are the RD Amross contractor - SPNPO Energomash - and the American intermediary Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. The former produces the required RD-180 liquid propellant rocket engine. The other supplies components to the United States.

The only liquid-propellant engine RD-180 is optimally suited for tender purchases announced by the US government. According to experts, the characteristics of these components are ideal for heavy launch vehicles and the needs of NASA.

What is the RD-180 rocket engine

RD-180 is a two-chamber derivative of the four-chamber RD-170 used by Zenit. Liquid propellant rocket enginesThe RD-180 closed-cycle afterburner packs the high performance, convenience and reusability of the RD-170 into a size to match the engine requirements of the Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle.

RD-180 – Hydraulic motor to actuate the control valve and deflection thrust vector in the gimbals, with pneumatics to actuate the valve and the blowdown system: the thrust frame for load distribution is self-sufficient as part of the engine. The motor at the start uses LOX lead, with afterburning of generator gas and LOX, rich in gas turbine drive. So set a performance increase of 10 percent compared to the operational boost of US engines and assuming a clean, reusable operation. Only in the main assembly, the turbo pump and booster pump required development to scale from the RD-120 and RD- 170. All other components were taken directly from the RD-170.

The RD-180 was developed in 42 months at a fraction of the cost of a typical US new engine design. The motor runs on an intermediate Atlas III and a standard Atlas V booster.

RD-180 is equipped with two pairs of combustion chambers and nozzles. The engine was developed and produced by the Russian research and production association Energomash. Kerosene is used as fuel, liquid oxygen is an oxidizing agent. The cost of the RD-180 rocket engine in 2010 was $9 million.

Description of construction

1. LOX/Kerosene rocket fuel.
2. Two thrust chambers (gimbals +8 degrees).
3. One oxygen rich block in front of the burner.
4. THA high pressure assembly.
5. Two-stage fuel pump.
6. Single stage oxygen pump.
7. Single turbine.
8. Self-igniting ignition.
9. Autonomous hydraulic systems (valves, TVC) powered by kerosene from a fuel pump.
10. He alth monitoring and life prediction system.
11. Automated flight preparation (after installation on the vehicle, all operations are automated through launch).
12. Minimization of the interface from the launch pad and vehicles (pneumatic and hydraulic systems, autonomous, electrical integrated panels, thrust frame to simplify the mechanical interface).
13. Environmentally friendly operations with rich oxidizer starting pre-burner ignition, as well as oxidizer start and shutdown modes that eliminate coking and unburned potentially contaminated kerosene.
14. 50-100% continuous throttling subject to potential real-time trajectory and motor matching check on site before launching fix.
15. 80% RD-170 parts.
16. Albaric chamber: 256, 6 bar.
17. Area factor: 36, 4.
18. Thrust-to-weight ratio: 77, 26.
19. Oxidizer-fuel ratio: 2, 72.

Engine RD-180. Features

• Specific Gravity: 5480 kg (12080 lb).
• Height: 3.6 m (11.67 ft).
• Diameter: 3.2 m (10.33 ft).
• Specific impulse: 337.8 s.
• Specific impulse at sea level: 311.3 s
• Recording time: 270 sec.
• First launch: 2000

History

In November 1996, the Energomash production association conducted the first test of the RD-180. The engine was declared the winner in tenders for its installation in the Atlas launch vehicle of the American Lockheed Martin Corporation. This was necessary for the withdrawal of promising manned ships. Since then, RD-180 engines have become the most in demand.

The engine is reusable. Sophisticated management provided NPO Energomash with almost legendary reliable deals with the United States. In December 2012, a contract was delivered that provides the company with a guarantee for the production of engines until 2019. All production is concentrated in Russia.

Creating a replacement for the RD-180 in the US

Ukrainian events led to sanctions that limit the ability to use Russian rocket engines for the United States. RD-180 must be replaced with an American-made analogue. In December 2014, an amendment was passed by the House. It banned the use of Russian RD-180s. The engine will continue to be purchased under the existing supply contract until 2019 between Energomash and ULA.

Despite continued cooperation and deliveries of the RD-180 under existing agreements, the US Secretary of Defense ordered the termination of cooperation with Russia and the transitionfor American parts. America must get rid of Russian dependence in the military-political spheres.

To this, Frank Kendall (Secretary of Defense for Acquisitions) replied that the Pentagon had nothing to replace the Russian RD-180 engines. As an alternative to the current situation, America announced a tender for the production of its own engines of similar characteristics on its territory.

Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin said he was ready to stop the supply of rocket engines RD-180 and K-33 to America.

How much does an RD-180 rocket engine cost for the US

Let's talk about prices. SpaceNews reported that the RD-180 engine needed to be replaced. For the United States, such a whim would cost $1.5 billion. Not a small amount.

How much does the RD-180 engine cost? The entire prototype implementation project will last at least six years. According to experts, the United States does not have the opportunity to completely abandon the use of RD-180 engines. It is impossible to solve the problem in a short time, since the engines will be ready only in 2022.

Despite the assurances of the US Air Force that RD-180s are in stock in the required quantity, there is still a shortage. Therefore, many launches will need to be postponed. Spending in this area could rise to $5 billion. While the US competes and enforces sanctions, China is already in line for RD-180 production.

Perspective

The Pentagon has allocated at least $162 million to Aerojet Rocketdyne and United Launch Alliance to work inareas of development of AR1 and BE-4 rocket engines, candidates for replacing the Russian-made engine that currently flies the Atlas V launch vehicle.

The US Air Force is completing an initial investment in new rocket motors as the military seeks to move away from its reliance on the Russian RD-180 engine used on the Atlas V, which launches most US government satellites for secure communications, navigation and intelligence gathering information. The Air Force enters into a public-private partnership with Aerojet Rocketdyne and ULA, providing corporate funds to co-finance engine development.

The President and CEO of ULA continue to meet to achieve the goal of providing the United States with the most reliable launch systems at the most affordable price, while developing a new engine that will introduce completely new opportunities for the use of space.

Agreement with Aerojet Rocketdyne covers development and testing of the AR1 rocket engine. This is a power unit that burns kerosene mixture and liquid oxygen. These are the same propellant components as in the RD-180 engine for Atlas V.

Aerojet Rocketdyne aims to have an airworthy engine by 2019, but first launch is not expected until 2020. The Air Force is committing at least $115.3 million to the AR1 development program while how Aerojet Rocketdyne and ULA jointly invest $57.7 million, Aerojet Rocketdyne said in a statement.

Prior to testing, the government's decision to continue support for the AR1 engine program tops out at $804 million - with $536 million from the Air Force and $236 million from Aerojet Rocketdyne and ULA.

"AR1 will put the US back in the lead in producing kerosene nuclear rocket engines," Drake said in a press release. "We are incorporating the latest advances in state-of-the-art manufacturing while capitalizing on our rich knowledge of the next generation of rocket motors, everything is being done to introduce motors that will end our dependence on a foreign supplier to launch our nation's national security assets."

The AR1 engine will include 3D printed parts and run on enriched oxygen with generator gas afterburning. This is a more efficient engine cycle than currently available in other liquid hydrocarbons in US rocket engines.

The BE-4 engine is the focus of the Air Force. For its implementation, cash injections are allocated. The Air Force is committed to paying at least $46.6 million to United Launch Alliance for the next generation of the Vulcan rocket. ULA also agreed to add $40.8 million under the terms of the government award.

The lion's share of the $45,800,000 initial funding will go toward developing the BE-4 engine, which will generate 550,000 pounds of thrust and consume a cryogenic combination of liquefied natural gas and liquidoxygen.

Two BE-4 engines will boost the first stage of the Vulcan rocket. Officials say the BE-4 is being fully funded by the company through the United Launch Alliance. Air Force funding will support the company's progress in integrating the BE-4 engine with the Vulcan launch vehicle.

Aerojet Rocketdyne advertises the AR1 as the easiest replacement for the RD-180 due to its powder mixture and size. Two AR1 engines are required to meet the performance of one dual nozzle RD-180 engine on an Atlas V.

ULA executives say the BE-4 engine from Blue Origin, an entrepreneurial space firm founded by Amazon.com, will be ready faster and will ultimately be easier to recover for reuse.

While the RD-180 engine had the advantage of more than 60 successful launches, it was time for American investment in domestic production of similar engines.

BE-4 is due to complete its validation in 2017, and ULA aims for the first flight of the Vulcan rocket by the end of 2019.

The Air Force also finances construction in outer space for the habitation of astronauts in deep space exploration and satellite services.

ULA continues to work with both Blue Origin and Aerojet Rocketdyne. It accompanies two variants of the next generation of American engines, which is why the company is teaming up with two of the world's leading space companies.

ULA keeps Aerojet Rocketdyne's AR1 engine as backupoption. The final selection is expected at the end of 2016.

Air Force financial commitments to Aerojet Rocketdyne and ULA open after February 29, 2016 after similar agreements came in with SpaceX and Orbital ATK. New solid rocket booster project made by Orbital ATK for ULA's Vulcan rocket and for its own launcher, will also receive Orbital ATK funding.

Shadow in space from the earth's "clouds"

Russian RD-180 engines have no alternative in the States. Jim Meiser, Vice President of Aerojet Rocketdyne, believes that the United States is not paying enough attention to the development of its own oxygen-kerosene prototypes.

He said that America is definitely behind the Russians and Chinese in creating such propulsion systems. He also mentioned that the United States has already developed an oxygen-kerosene engine, which is in operation Merlin 1D. It is manufactured by SpaceX. Only now, in terms of its characteristics, it does not fall short of the RD-180.

Of course, this is complete nonsense, because terrestrial clouds cannot cast any shadow into space. But in the political sense - alas, they are discarded.

US: Industrialists calm, politicians worried

A senior US air force official says he will stop launching national security satellites aboard United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket if the Treasury Department believes Russian engine imports do not violate US sanctions.

Earlier, Senator John McCain asked the Air Forceto prove that the recent reorganization in Russia of its rocket and space industry does not make the purchase of RD-180 engines a violation of US sanctions that were imposed against Russian officials in 2014.

US government agencies, led by the Treasury Department, are taking a fresh look at RD-180 deliveries. And we are ready not to adhere to sanctions. Grounding the Atlas V will create a greater obstacle for the Pentagon than combat.

McCain held a military spaceport hearing where he urged the Air Force to get a fresh legal opinion that the import of RD-18O violates US sanctions imposed on Russian officials following the annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.

McCain singled out two high-ranking Russian officials: Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and Sergei Chemezov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Until recently, they were observers in the space sector. Although they do not benefit financially from the sale of the RD-180, they have been sanctioned.

December 28, by order of Putin, the Russian space sector is being reorganized. This restructuring is making adjustments to the Russian space industry and the Roscosmos space agency under a new state corporation, also called Roskosmos.

McCain noted that this organization is currently headed by Rogozin; Chemezov also has something to do with this. Rogozin and Chemezov were among the first Russian officials to receive sanctions during the Ukrainian crisis. Neither one northe other cannot enter the US. The assets they own have been frozen.