Possible descendant of "Energy"
Currently, the Russian space program does not have a super-heavy class launch vehicle. The last project of this technology - “Energy” - was closed in 1993 year. The rocket "Energy" could bring into low-Earth orbit cargo weighing up to 105 tons. In the future, it was planned to create an even more powerful modification that could carry a payload of 170-180 tons. However, the difficult economic and political situation in the country first led to a freeze, and then to the closure of the project. However, the need for a super heavy carrier has not disappeared. Such a rocket is needed, first of all, to ensure promising space projects, from the launching of station modules into orbit until the preparation of flights to other planets. For example, according to various estimates, for a manned flyby of the Moon, it is required to launch a complex of at least 60-70 tons into orbit. For flights to Mars, accordingly, even heavier spacecraft are needed.
Recently it became known that Roskosmos announced a competition to create a new super-heavy class launch vehicle. The basis for it should be the project "Angara". Just a few days after the tender was announced, the first applications appeared. Rocket and Space Corporation "Energy" is ready to create the required equipment. According to the general designer of the corporation V. Lopota, it would be wise to create a project together, through the efforts of several countries. Russia, represented by Energia and several related enterprises, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, will participate in the program with the designation "Commonwealth". Design work on the project "Commonwealth" has already begun.
Obviously, the creation of the appearance of a promising rocket is already coming to an end. In any case, the results of the competition for the creation of a new super-heavy rocket will be summed up already on September 6. After that, the contracting organization will receive government funding in the amount of about ten million rubles. For this money, by the end of May of the next 2013, a ready design of the launch vehicle should be created. Perhaps it was such a fairly tight time frame that caused the proposal to use the developments under the Energy program. At the same time, such a basis for a new project may be due to possible positive financial consequences. The fact is that the launch complex for the “Energy” project missiles, located at the Baikonur cosmodrome, is in a relatively normal state. It will not take a lot of manpower and resources to restore it fully. It is obvious that the repair of existing sites will cost much less than the construction of new ones.
The financial side of the project is one of the most important. Sometimes you hear that the Energy program once ruined the Soviet Union. To justify the project, it should be said that in the eighties of the last century many other things happened in our economy that can hardly be called useful. However, each launch of a super-power rocket really cost a serious amount. According to V. Lopota, in the new rocket "Commonwealth", most likely, the same engines will be used as in the accelerators of "Energy" - RD-170. With good performance, they consume relatively cheap kerosene. In addition, at the project stage, some savings will be achieved through the unification of a number of new carrier nodes with the Zenith family of rockets, where these engines are also used.
Creating a new rocket on the basis of "Energy" is of particular interest. However, the question arises: how does this project correlate with the requirement regarding the development of a super-heavy carrier based on the "Angara"? At one time, the project, named in honor of the Siberian river, bypassed "Energy" in the competition, shortly after which the latter was closed. There is a version that the management of RSC Energia does not consider Angara to be a truly promising project and is going to create a new launch vehicle based on its own developments. The goal of such a move is simple - the start of testing of Angara family rockets has been postponed several times and no one can guarantee that the first launch scheduled for the 2013 year will not be postponed again. In addition, the Angara tests will begin with the simplest lightweight configurations, which will also affect the creation time of the heavy carrier. A technique of this class is needed as soon as possible. It turns out that the possible attempts by RSC Energia to create an alternative project are not without meaning. The fact that the Commonwealth will be developed exclusively as a heavy and super heavy launch vehicle can also be in favor of this.
The requirements for the base in the form of the Angara rocket, as well as the opinion of the Energia designers, can influence the decision of the Roskosmos tender commission, and not necessarily in a positive way. Obviously, in putting forward certain requirements for the "origin" of the new launch vehicle, the space agency employees were guided by some real considerations, for example, concerning the unification of the missiles. The modular system used in the Angara should have a tangible impact on the economic efficiency of the rocket - to launch various loads into orbit, you will not need to build different models of rockets, it is enough to assemble a carrier of appropriate configuration from universal units. However, in the Energia rocket and space corporation, it seems that it is more expedient to consider a separate launch vehicle of a heavy class. It remains to wait for the date of announcement of the results of the competition and draw the appropriate conclusions.
On the materials of the sites:
http://vpk.name/
http://energia.ru/
http://rosbalt.ru/
http://utro.ru/
http://km.ru/
Recently it became known that Roskosmos announced a competition to create a new super-heavy class launch vehicle. The basis for it should be the project "Angara". Just a few days after the tender was announced, the first applications appeared. Rocket and Space Corporation "Energy" is ready to create the required equipment. According to the general designer of the corporation V. Lopota, it would be wise to create a project together, through the efforts of several countries. Russia, represented by Energia and several related enterprises, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, will participate in the program with the designation "Commonwealth". Design work on the project "Commonwealth" has already begun.
Obviously, the creation of the appearance of a promising rocket is already coming to an end. In any case, the results of the competition for the creation of a new super-heavy rocket will be summed up already on September 6. After that, the contracting organization will receive government funding in the amount of about ten million rubles. For this money, by the end of May of the next 2013, a ready design of the launch vehicle should be created. Perhaps it was such a fairly tight time frame that caused the proposal to use the developments under the Energy program. At the same time, such a basis for a new project may be due to possible positive financial consequences. The fact is that the launch complex for the “Energy” project missiles, located at the Baikonur cosmodrome, is in a relatively normal state. It will not take a lot of manpower and resources to restore it fully. It is obvious that the repair of existing sites will cost much less than the construction of new ones.
The financial side of the project is one of the most important. Sometimes you hear that the Energy program once ruined the Soviet Union. To justify the project, it should be said that in the eighties of the last century many other things happened in our economy that can hardly be called useful. However, each launch of a super-power rocket really cost a serious amount. According to V. Lopota, in the new rocket "Commonwealth", most likely, the same engines will be used as in the accelerators of "Energy" - RD-170. With good performance, they consume relatively cheap kerosene. In addition, at the project stage, some savings will be achieved through the unification of a number of new carrier nodes with the Zenith family of rockets, where these engines are also used.
Creating a new rocket on the basis of "Energy" is of particular interest. However, the question arises: how does this project correlate with the requirement regarding the development of a super-heavy carrier based on the "Angara"? At one time, the project, named in honor of the Siberian river, bypassed "Energy" in the competition, shortly after which the latter was closed. There is a version that the management of RSC Energia does not consider Angara to be a truly promising project and is going to create a new launch vehicle based on its own developments. The goal of such a move is simple - the start of testing of Angara family rockets has been postponed several times and no one can guarantee that the first launch scheduled for the 2013 year will not be postponed again. In addition, the Angara tests will begin with the simplest lightweight configurations, which will also affect the creation time of the heavy carrier. A technique of this class is needed as soon as possible. It turns out that the possible attempts by RSC Energia to create an alternative project are not without meaning. The fact that the Commonwealth will be developed exclusively as a heavy and super heavy launch vehicle can also be in favor of this.
The requirements for the base in the form of the Angara rocket, as well as the opinion of the Energia designers, can influence the decision of the Roskosmos tender commission, and not necessarily in a positive way. Obviously, in putting forward certain requirements for the "origin" of the new launch vehicle, the space agency employees were guided by some real considerations, for example, concerning the unification of the missiles. The modular system used in the Angara should have a tangible impact on the economic efficiency of the rocket - to launch various loads into orbit, you will not need to build different models of rockets, it is enough to assemble a carrier of appropriate configuration from universal units. However, in the Energia rocket and space corporation, it seems that it is more expedient to consider a separate launch vehicle of a heavy class. It remains to wait for the date of announcement of the results of the competition and draw the appropriate conclusions.
On the materials of the sites:
http://vpk.name/
http://energia.ru/
http://rosbalt.ru/
http://utro.ru/
http://km.ru/
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