Promising Russian-designed launch vehicles

Launch of the Angara-A5 rocket, December 2021. Photo by the RF Ministry of Defense

Currently, Russian cosmonautics uses several types of launch vehicles of different classes with different characteristics and capabilities. In addition, the rocket and space industry is developing several new projects of similar equipment. Already during this decade, promising launch vehicles will be tested and / or get to full operation.

Modular complex

The main hopes and expectations of the Russian cosmonautics are associated with the promising family of Angara modular launch vehicles. This project was created from the beginning of the nineties and faced serious difficulties for a long time. However, some of the desired results have been achieved in recent years, and more progress is expected in the foreseeable future.

In July 2014, the first test launch of the Angara-1.2PP light missile in an abnormal configuration took place, during which the operation of all systems and assemblies was successfully demonstrated. The first full-fledged launch of the carrier of the new family was performed on December 23 of the same year - the Angara-A5 heavy-class rocket took off from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. In 2021 and 2022 conducted two more such tests.

On April 29, 2022, the Angara-1.2 light unified launch vehicle took off for the first time in its standard configuration. In October, this success was repeated during the second launch. It is reported that on this flight tests of the light class product are completed, and now it will be prepared for full operation.

Launch of Angara-1.2, April 2022. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Two new launches of the heavy Angara-A2023 are planned for the current 5, and the necessary preparations are underway. So, on July 31, the TASS agency published the words of the Director General of the Center. M.V. Khrunichev Alexey Varochko. He said that the first rocket for a future launch is at the assembly stage, and work is progressing according to the schedule. In autumn, the finished product will be sent to the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

At least one start is planned for next year. According to known data, Angara-A5 will send into orbit a new optical reconnaissance satellite of the Araks series, which is distinguished by its large dimensions and weight. Two launches are already planned for 2025. Heavy rockets will have to ensure the withdrawal of new loads from Roskosmos. In addition, no later than 2024-25. the first launches of the Angara-1.2 light rocket with one or another load are expected, incl. with commercial spacecraft.

Thus, the Angara project is successfully moving forward and solving the tasks set. The heavy rocket of the new family is approaching the start of full-fledged operation, and the light sample has passed flight tests. In the coming years, it will be possible to begin their full operation in the interests of various customers. At the same time, the development enterprises of the family from the Roskosmos continue to design new unified family rockets and create a reserve for the distant future.

New Soyuz

Work continues on the promising Soyuz-5 medium-class launch vehicle. This project of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation started in the middle of the last decade and has already passed several early stages. So, in 2017, a preliminary design of the future product began, which was completed in 2020. In addition, in 2020-21 preparations for the production of individual units and the rocket as a whole began.

Launch vehicles of the Soyuz family. On the right is the promising Soyuz-5. Photo by Wikimedia Commons

In 2021, the Progress Rocket and Space Center began manufacturing individual Soyuz-5 components and systems for bench testing. The first tests of such products took place already in the fall of 2021 and confirmed the correctness of the calculations. A year ago, in July 2022, the first firing tests of the engine of the new rocket took place.

On August 1, 2023, the Vzglyad publication published a statement by Daniil Subbotin, Director General for Development of the RCC Progress, on the current state of affairs. According to him, now Soyuz-5 is at the stage of ground testing. The components of the launch vehicle are tested in accordance with the technical regulations. All processes are going well and generally on schedule.

In parallel with the work on the launch vehicle, the construction of a ground complex at the Baikonur cosmodrome is underway. These activities are carried out in cooperation with Kazakhstan within the framework of the joint Baiterek project. The Vzglyad publication indicates that Western sanctions have negatively affected the implementation of this project, and its future is in question.

Earlier it was reported that the Soyuz-5 rocket would enter flight design tests in 2025. The General Director for Development of the Progress Rocket Center said that such plans remain relevant. Probably, by this time the launch complex at Baikonur will have been completed.

Reusable referral

Back in 2013, it became known that Russian enterprises were exploring the possibility of creating a promising rocket engine running on liquefied natural gas. Such a propulsion system could be used by a new launch vehicle or a modified version of one of the existing ones. In the future, these ideas were developed, and in 2020 they reached the stage of preliminary design.

"Soyuz-5" in flight. Graphics "Roskosmos"

The LNG rocket project managed to change several names. Initially, it was called "Soyuz-7", and then the designations "Soyuz-LNG" and "Amur-LNG" appeared, indicating the main feature of the project. In addition, the goals of the project were adjusted. Initially, it was only about the launch vehicle on the new fuel, and then it was proposed to make it reusable.

According to the terms of reference, Soyuz-SPG will be a medium-class launch vehicle with characteristics on par with existing models. The product must use cheaper and more affordable methane-based fuel. The first stage will be reusable; it is planned to provide up to a hundred launches. At the same time, it is necessary not only to create a rocket design, but also to work out the issues of searching for and evacuating spent blocks for reuse.

The development of a new rocket is carried out by the Progress RCC. The creation of the rocket itself and related systems is underway, and a search has begun for optimal landing areas for reusable blocks. It takes several more years to carry out all the necessary work. The first launch of the finished Amur-LNG is expected no earlier than 2028, and the full-fledged operation of the rocket will begin in the thirties.

Other projects

Currently, the Russian rocket and space industry is developing several projects of promising launch vehicles at once. The most successful samples in the form of two modifications of the Angara have already passed the tests and are preparing for full-fledged operation. In the coming years, the first launch of Soyuz-5 is expected, and by the end of the decade, Soyuz-LNG will fly.

In addition, there are several other projects that are still in their early stages, and their implementation remains a matter of the distant future. Thus, two new modifications of the Angara-A5 heavy rocket are being developed. The expansion of the family should also continue, due to which it will be possible to more fully exploit the potential of the modular architecture.

Prospective liquefied natural gas engine RD0164. Graphics "Roskosmos"

Since the mid-2021s, work has been going on on the promising super-heavy launch vehicle Yenisei. For several years, within the framework of this project, common issues have been worked out and some of the required components have been created. However, in February 2024, the development of the Yenisei was temporarily suspended due to the lack of some components and technologies. It is planned to resume it no earlier than XNUMX.

In the recent past, there have been numerous reports of the emergence of private rocket and space companies intending to build their own launch vehicles. In view of the well-known limitations and the lack of all competencies, so far we have only talked about systems of the ultralight and light classes. The announced projects are of some interest, but their implementation - even under an optimistic scenario - is a matter of the distant future.

Today and tomorrow

The Russian rocket and space industry continues to operate modern launch vehicles and is also working on new projects. Some of the promising samples have already been brought to testing and operation, while others are still at the development stage. In addition, some projects have been temporarily frozen, and such missiles will appear only in the distant future.

Thus, Roskosmos and its enterprises have and are implementing plans for the development of the main areas for several years ahead - until the beginning of the next decade. A significant place in such plans is the development of new launch vehicles and related equipment. Whether it will be possible to realize all the current ideas - time will tell, and the first results will not have to wait long.

Comments

[Alex 1970]

Some of the desired results have been achieved, and further progress is expected in the foreseeable future. As it is in our opinion, then a medal plan for the Olympics, then a cloud of Armat and Su 57, now in the future, though it is not known in what, there is not even a deadline, we will be even cooler. They even called dates about tanks with aircraft, now, having been burned by a current puncture, it is impossible to say dates. In the future, and you most importantly believe. Maybe in the twenty-second century, or maybe later

[Sergey39]

Kirill Ryabov, confirms his specialization, superficial coverage of the topic. Specialists from Plesetsk say that the Angara does not produce the planned thrust force and there are problems with launching the planned weight of the cargo into orbit.
They are fighting with this. In short, oxygen and kerosene are used in the Angara, without toxic additives.

[Commissar Kitten]

This is strange, by the way, the engine produces thrust, and it was actually made by grandfathers in the 70-80s

[Sergey39]

That's right, the engine provides thrust, and the engine uses fuel to produce thrust.

[Commissar Kitten]

And how did he give the calculated thrust on the Atlases, Antares, Zeniths and Soyuz 2.1v? I have not heard that any toxic additives were added to kerosene there. (And non-toxic too.)

[Negro]

They talk about the non-toxicity of the Angara in comparison with the Proton.

[fa2998]

Quote: Negro

They talk about the non-toxicity of the Angara in comparison with the Proton.

The comparison is not correct. The Proton has a completely different fuel pair. The military did not like liquid oxygen, which is constantly evaporating. It will still work for civilian space.

[Negro]

Quote: fa2998

Comparison is not correct

The comparison is quite correct, since Kazakhstan has constantly raised the issue of the problematic nature of skunks. In light-middleweight, the Soyuz family is doing quite well. But the Proton needed to be replaced with something.

On the other hand, in parallel with the departure of the skunks, the rest of the launches are also transferred to Vostochny, there are not so many of them left. Baikanur everything.

And yes, rockets on high-boiling components are wild in any case. Civil astronautics prefers less problematic fuel vapors, military solid propellant rocket engines.

[Commissar Kitten]

Why Angara is more non-toxic than Proton, I understand. And why the engine on it does not give the calculated thrust (allegedly due to the use of oxygen and kerosene without toxic additives, although other rockets on engines of the RD-170 family had no problems with this), I don’t understand. That was the question.

[Negro]

It seems that the underfilling of delta vee was at the stage of operation of the upper stage, and not the RD. This is clearly not a question for the author, he does not fumble.

[shikin]

"The main hopes and expectations of the Russian cosmonautics are connected with the promising Angara family of modular launch vehicles" - I still see that Soyuz-5, and then Soyuz-LNG, will become the "workhorse". TsSKB and Progress were constantly pushed forward by Muscovites with projects, but in Samara everything was worked out for the development, and for testing, and for the production of a new rocket.

[Romario_Argo]

here the Makeev Design Bureau will soon finish the detonation engine - and all these billion rubles, and the launch vehicle into the furnace
it's like a Korona launch vehicle, a mass of 300 tons with a payload of 7 tons at LEO - on a conventional rocket engine
scale the detonation rocket engine and increase the Korona launch vehicle itself for a larger number of detonation engines
for example, the mass will increase to 1000 tons, and the cargo is already up to 100 tons at LEO
moreover, this is already a reusable launch vehicle, at the 1st refueling, in theory, it will be able to fly into orbit and return 2-3 times

[shikin]

As for soon - when is that? Years through 10? And the launch vehicle on such engines in another 10 years?
The efficiency of a rocket engine is determined primarily by the specific impulse. So far, in theory, the specific impulse of DD can be 5 - 10% higher than that of a liquid-propellant rocket engine. In practice, as I understand it, while the specific impulse of the best LREs in DDs has not been reached. Although, with a comparable specific impulse, the mass of the DD and the complexity are much lower than those of the LRE.
And an increase in the specific impulse by 5% and a decrease in the mass of the propulsion system (a few percent in the total starting mass) is unlikely to allow one stage to be dispensed with.
If you have specific new data on DD, it will be interesting to know.

[Vyacheslav Ermolaev]

There are a lot of projects, little sense. Reusable rocket? And what about the gas engine? And what for? RD-171m is quite reusable. Too lazy to look, but it seems to be designed for 15 regular launches plus another 10 over the state. Too powerful? Well, then there is a "quarter" RD-190 or a "half" RD-180. It will not be difficult to certify them for reusability. But it is clear that we have achieved everything in astronautics, and we only lack a gas engine. The Angara project at the time when Khrunichev won the competition was not just Angara, but Angara-Cheburashka. I am an engine engineer by training, but my knowledge was enough to understand Cheburashka will not be able to fly. Therefore, two years later, without any competition, Cheburashka was turned into a designer to create a family of Angara 1, 3, 5 and even 7 rockets. Cool! You just take it and build the rocket you need from standard elements. If this were implemented, we would probably already be developing tritium on the Moon. Unfortunately, Angara-1 and 5 remained from the designer. Now, for some kind of hell, Angara-LNG and Soyuz-5 were required. We do not have a superheavy, but a commission of some academicians first decided in 2018 that it was too expensive and cheaper to restore Energia and it would be faster to build the Yenisei from scratch, and build the Don superheavy on its basis. And then on the floor, the commission decided that we don’t need a rollover and we’ll get by with the Angara? And where is this Angara? Since 2014, it has flown three times as a blank and once with a payload that could not be put into orbit. A similar Chinese rocket flew for the first time two years later and already launched payloads 10-11 times. It must be admitted that we have lost the ability to create new rocket technology and therefore, in fact, we are actually using the good old Seven, which Korolev created in 4 years. We are dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants. If we end up on the moon, the Chinese will take us there.

[bayard]

Quote: Vyacheslav Ermolaev

RD-171m is quite reusable. Too lazy to look, but it seems to be designed for 15 regular launches plus another 10 over the state.

The engine is really reusable, I heard that the resource is designed for 30 full cycles, they planned to use it 10 times.
But.
The whole question is how to lower the stage after working out to the ground. They planned on parachutes, but ... how to maintain the integrity of the stage itself and ensure a relatively soft landing ... When Energia was launched for the first time and the second time it was launched together with Buran, they decided not to save the stages, leave them for the future. The future did not happen, and a parachute descent, even in the steppe, even in the taiga ... does not guarantee the integrity of the structure, especially for reuse. So, of course, the engines are reusable, but the rocket is not. It's just that the engine for such a rocket turns out to be much more expensive than if it was originally disposable.

Quote: Vyacheslav Ermolaev

apparently we have achieved everything in astronautics and we just lack a gas engine.

The reason for switching to methane is as simple as two or two - after each flight cycle, the kerosene engine has to be sorted out and washed from coking. Very time consuming and expensive process. But the matan does not leave such coking and the engine can be started again almost immediately after checking and testing. It was mainly for the sake of this simplification of inter-flight preparation that methane was needed as a fuel. The mask (and not only him) needed to ensure the maximum possible frequency of launches in order to be able to bring out the required number of satellites in a certain period of time. When we realized this, we also decided to deal with this topic.
Although I read about methane engines for ... "Angara" back in the mid-90s ... apparently it was one of the versions of this family of rockets.

From the entire chaotic set of materials in the article, I was interested in this most promising methane engine RD-0164. Single-chamber, thrust in vacuum at 390 t.s. (near the earth 340 t.s.) ... this is a LOT. And also reusable. If reusable, then the rocket is reusable. And if so, then landing only on the engine (like Mask). And there is also throttling from 40 to 100% of thrust. If we estimate the dry / landing weight of such a rocket and its standard ratio to the launch weight, then there should be about nine such engines on the rocket (again, like Mask on the Falcon-9), so that the thrust of the central engine matches and slightly exceeds the residual weight of the rocket .
9 x 340 = 3 t.s. is the total thrust of the engines near the ground.
Therefore, the starting weight of such a rocket will be about 2400 tons.
Then the weight of the payload put into the reference orbit will be about 100 tons. So much for superheavy, especially reusable.
The only question remains - how to carefully land this bulk of the first stage on a specially prepared site, and then carefully transport it from there to the place of interlaunch testing and preparation. There is a task for trillions of rubles. Until it turns out, this is how much good you have to translate.
And what kind of infrastructure will have to be created?
And in order to consciously engage in this and allocate money with a generous unwavering hand, you must have ... SUCH a space program ... In short, the program must be grandiose, as well as the funds required for it.
So that at least once a month to throw into orbit 100 tons of payload in the collection (because something small can be launched by smaller rockets, in parts) ... Are we going to settle on the moon?
Or are we depicting tireless activity and unextinguished design competence?
Who?
For what ?
If for the sake of sending a small station to the Moon (like 50 years ago) we have to endure such a launch for 15 - 20 years?

Quote: Vyacheslav Ermolaev

We are dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants. If we end up on the moon, the Chinese will take us there.

Perhaps you are right.
Pigs don't need stars.
But I would love to be wrong.

[Disant]

The only question remains - how to carefully land this bulk of the first stage on a specially prepared site, and then carefully transport it from there to the place of interlaunch testing and preparation. There is a task for trillions of rubles.

can stick a folding gliding block-wings and land directly on the airfield next to the launch site?
or combined - to bring on the wings to the start and at a low altitude parachute to the prepared field? already the forest is there 5 * 5 km will be cut out easily

[Scientist]

See Wing SV.

(So ​​what if it's short)

[ohka]

[It must be admitted that we have lost the ability to create new rocket technology and therefore, in fact, we are actually using the good old Seven, which Korolev created in 4 years. We are dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants. If we end up on the moon, then the Chinese will take us there.[/ Quote]
And here, in 4 years, only a preliminary design was blinded ... But the dough was sawn and everything was in business.

[alexoff]

Yes, the dough for these projects is only for preliminary designs and they allocate

[Aleksandr21]

Thus, Roskosmos and its enterprises have and are implementing plans for the development of the main areas for several years ahead - until the beginning of the next decade.

Considering the results of Roskosmos, it’s time to say that they are not fulfilling plans, but sawing the budget ... the same Angara, development began in the 90s - the project was supposed to shoot in the 00s - 10s, but for 2023 so far, in testing stages ... spent a lot of money, went through everything that was possible in terms of time, and even those. the characteristics are rather controversial + the price tag is not competitive in the world market. If it weren’t for the military, then it would have been possible to put an end to the project.

The big question is also whether they will be able to realize the hydrogen Angara A5B by the 2030s. because competencies are lost, development timelines are constantly shifting, and by 2026-2027 we will most likely see further shifts .... and then they will tell us that a decision has been made to return to the development of the Yenisei, and they will bring it to mind. this is a more promising direction, this is the future and stuff like that. The deadlines for this project will fly away by 2040-2050 (and there, if the approach does not change .... history will repeat itself).

And this is a tragedy for Russia, because. (USA / China / India) do not stand still, and in 10-20 years they will have super-heavy missiles in iron, the USA, in principle, already has them (although the future of Starship is in question), China will build its own super-heavy, India will advance on the heels (especially if it implements NGLV in a super-heavy version) and the race for the Moon / Mars will begin .... but whether we can show something in hardware by this time is a question.

So the government needs to pay special attention to the timing and responsibility of those responsible for such projects ... and not like now, when the deadlines are drifting away into a brighter future, and no one is responsible for this.

[Alex 1970]

Haven't you been given minuses for such words yet? Some "successful astronauts" have already thrown me for something like that. Looks like they have us still ahead of the rest

[Negro]

Superheavy? Hydrogen Angara?

And why do you need all this?

[Zhan]

Quote: Negro

Superheavy? Hydrogen Angara?

And why do you need all this?

Well, certainly not to grow bananas on the moon ...

[Scientist]

And what do you want? Even Putin was “surprised” by the salary in the space industry. Extreme turnover, especially among young people. Accordingly, there is a lack of continuity and experience. At the same time, the number is “optimized” in such a way that there is no talk of any “licking” decisions, there is simply no one physically and no time to do this. This is on the one hand.
On the other hand, all high management positions have long been occupied by managers who understand only “cash flows”. There has been no head in Roscosmos for a long time. Almost every year they change programs for the future, then we fly to Mars, then to the Moon, or even, in general, we didn’t really want to, then we build a super-heavy one, then we don’t build it. And orders are opened, then the money runs out, they are stopped, then they are opened again. But there are either no previous developers, or they are busy with something else. The same goes for equipment and materials. Ordering any nut takes about six months - through all approvals, approvals, tenders.
Add sanctions here. After all, now many components must either be re-developed or used as original ones, but with completely different characteristics.
Something like this.

[ont65]

Not only will all promising carriers survive, perhaps few of them will survive. There was no money for methane engines, and for them, as well as for hydrogen ones, the launch pads should have their own infrastructure. Engines are made for 8-10 years,
PH at 5-7, starts even longer. Things went badly with accelerating blocks for promising ones, without which they are unpromising. Modernization is stalling, and with terrible force. At such a pace and up to 50x, the borders can be moved without much mistake, judging by the long-suffering Angara.

[the same doctor]

They are fooling around, making new variations of barrels for fuel. It is necessary to take the existing rocket and put it on the conveyor, reduce the cost due to the mass character. In orbit, collect large objects from blocks.
.
The new spaceport is best to have on the northern coast of Iran. it is easy to deliver goods there from Samara, including the largest ones.
.
A new orbital station should be made in equatorial orbit and used as a base for assembling geostationary satellites ... The polar orbit for the OS is being imposed on us by traitor grant-eaters ...

[alexoff]

Russia's problem is not in missiles, but in the lack of cargo for them. And the cargo costs orders of magnitude more than the missiles themselves. Why do we need superheavy if no one builds superheavy loads? It’s just that they are trying to maintain a bunch of factories at at least some level, which, in theory, should send rocket caravans to Mars

[DoctorRandom]

The Russian rocket and space industry continues to operate modern launch vehicles, and is also working on new projects

It is not entirely clear what the author means by the phrase "modern launch vehicles", because all launch vehicles in the service of the Russian Federation are the modernization of missiles created back in the middle of the last century. "Angara" is generally a separate song. Launch vehicles began to be developed in the 90s, and at the moment it is only at the testing stage, while its peers - launch vehicles from other countries, are already ending their service life and they are being replaced by a new generation, against which the Angara does not looks very beneficial. No methane, no reusability.

In the coming years, the first launch of Soyuz-5 is expected

Unfortunately, the project is doomed to eternal transfers, or to complete cancellation or freezing, because at the moment Soyuz-5 simply has nowhere to fly, since the joint project of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan "Baiterek" stands still, and this is the very launch pad for Soyuz-5. Why does he need a launch pad with a launch vehicle that no one will buy?

[The Dragon]

How to read such articles? A brief squeeze, it is not clear what was transferred, you will not understand how many times. In general, what do we want, what are our goals and objectives? That's why we need union 5? Does it have a payload? Why, of all the irons, they shout about the modularity of the hangar, but about the average A3 there is deafening silence? In general, I propose to disband Roskosmos as a state corporation and transfer it to Rosatom. If they fail to put things in order and bend one line, then nothing will help us.

[the same doctor]

Some strange promising engine. The nozzle is only 1,5 times smaller than that of the Amer F-1. He, in fact, purely theoretically, will work?

[savage3000]

In short, we are lagging behind. It's all sad.

[bravo77]

promising, developments - what are the relevant terms for the non-galosh era

[nemoXX]

I'm afraid that in the foreseeable future Russia will have no time for space. They will launch spy satellites, but nothing more. A country that has missed its historical chance for timely modernization will not be able to bridge the growing gap with world technological leaders in 2 leaps.

[savage3000]

Promising Angara? Does Kirill Ryabov know how long it has been being developed and put into production? Apparently not. What's promising?

Soyuz-7, well, in theory, is promising. Makeevskaya Korona is promising. That's all.

[Drdim]

“Two new launches of the heavy Angara-A2023 are planned for this year 5” - launched? Yeah. They just plan, promise and show models. This year we may well lag behind India in space.