Energia Corporation Signs Billionth Contract For US Supply Of Rocket Engines
The Russian Rocket and Space Corporation Energia named after S.P. Korolev signed a contract with the American company Orbital Sciences Corporation for the delivery to the USA of rocket engines manufactured by NPO Energomash (a subsidiary of RSC Energia). Information about this was published on the official website of the corporation. Against the background of rather complicated relations between the two countries, which are now burdened by economic sanctions, the signed international contract is an unconditional victory for common sense in the interests of both the United States and Russia. Russia will supply the USA with the X-Rum-181 engines, which are a modification of the RD-191 engine, which is used on the Angara launch vehicle family.
It is about supplying a large batch of rocket engines to the USA. The amount of the signed contract is about one billion dollars, while the subsidiary of RSC Energia will supply Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) with a large batch of 60 rocket engines. Americans will get the first RD-181 engines already in June 2015. Thus, the sanctions that were imposed by Washington against Moscow because of the situation in the Crimea and in the east of Ukraine have so far not affected the business of RSC Energia, which supplies rocket engines for various American projects. At the same time, calls for termination of this cooperation are periodically heard. This position in particular is held by the well-known American politician - Senator John McCain.
It is reported that in the creation of a new engine, the employees of Energia invested 3 of their labor. As a basis, Russian engineers took rocket engines designed for the most modern Russian launch vehicles of the Angara family. Their main task was to adapt this engine under the American Antares rocket. In this case, the design of the engine, it was decided to simplify not to the detriment of its quality. The new RD-181 engine can be compared to the Kalashnikov automatic: it is cheap, but it is also reliable and reliable. At the same time, the development and testing of the new rocket engine was carried out "at random" - with its own money, as a result, Energia did not fail, according to Vesti journalists. Even customers from the United States could not get past the Russian space news.
Vladimir Solntsev, President of RSC Energia, said: “When American engineers first saw our new engine alive, they fell in love with it. Do not fall in love with RD-181 impossible. This is a true work of art. The engine can be compared to a work of art, it must be beautiful. Ugly designs cannot work efficiently, reliably. " Also, Vladimir Solntsev stressed that there is no place to buy a similar engine in the world today.
The outcome of the negotiations between the Khimki NPO Energomash (a subsidiary of RSC Energia) and the American OSC OSC became a contract for the delivery of rocket engines to the US 60. In addition to the engines, the contract involves additional items - flight training, equipment installation and testing already in the entire complex. This means that without Russian engineers at Cape Canaveral in the near future just will not do. Vladimir Solntsev noted that in the work style of RSC Energia, quite friendly and good relations developed with the partners from the United States. Without these relationships, it is difficult to produce such complex products that are so technically advanced. Currently, at the company level, there is complete mutual understanding. This applies to designers, engineers, financiers, all of them for the preparation of this contract worked as a team.
The first two rocket engines RD-181 American customer can get in the summer 2015 year. A total of three options were signed, each for 20 engines. At 20 engines now there is a firm contract, for its implementation in RSC Energia has already begun. The signed contract for 60 engines allows Russian companies to work with work for the decade ahead. At the same time, the proceeds from the contract are planned to be spent on the development of domestic production. Of course, they will go to the modernization and development of new rocket engines.
After the explosion, which occurred on the Antares launch vehicle at the end of October 2014, in the United States, there were calls at the legislative level to ban the supply of components from the Russian Federation. Allegedly, then the cause of the accident were just Russian-made engines. But in fact, AJ-26 is an upgraded version of the still Soviet rocket engine NK-33, which was made by a Ukrainian enterprise. Now, the first stage of the Antares launch vehicles manufactured by Orbital Sciences will be based on RD-181 engines. Prior to that, they were equipped with AJ-26 rocket engines, built on the basis of the Soviet NK-33. At the same time, Russian engine models managed to establish themselves as one of the most reliable on the planet. It is not by chance that Washington brings its most expensive satellites into Earth orbit using Atlas-5 launch vehicles, on which Russian RD-180s are based.
Such excellent statistics today, few can boast: 60 trouble-free launches carried out in a row. Therefore, no matter how much the United States Senate raised questions about trying to break cooperation with the Russian Federation, at least in the space industry, US companies are not ready to abandon important Russian partners, at least for now. When the contract for the supply of RD-181 rocket engines was being prepared, the Russians and their American colleagues had time to discuss joint projects on the operation of the ISS and deep space exploration. Today, both in Russia and in the USA, they are well aware that the evolution of the knowledge of outer space cannot be stopped. Political games of this evolution are not a hindrance.
It is worth noting that individual US senators can demand anything. However, to create its own rocket engine, which would be similar to the Russian RD-181, the United States would need about 10 years and about 3 billion dollars. According to Solntsev, the creation of such an analog would take from 7 to 10 years. He noted that he had no doubt that the Americans would be able to create such an analogue, only the question arises, why is this necessary? He also noted that the output at the output may not be as straightforward as we would like. Stressing that no one has yet canceled or killed international cooperation.
The RD-181 rocket engine was created specifically for use on the Antares launch vehicle (ANTARES), the use of this engine will allow to deliver to the ISS, as well as low near-earth orbits, significantly more payload. This is a single-chamber liquid-propellant rocket engine with oxidizing gas afterburning. In the production of engines RD-181 apply only the most modern materials, design and technical solutions. Due to this, it was possible to increase the power engineering of the RD-181 (thrust - 186 tons). The engine is a modernization of the RD-191 (the first development engine was assembled in May 2001 of the year), which ensured a successful flight to the Angara launch vehicle in the summer of 2014, and was also installed on the Angara-A5 PH, which made a successful flight with Plesetsk Cosmodrome last December.
It is reported that the billion-dollar contract for the supply of engines signed with the American side implies their design support - conducting fire tests, their installation, as well as flight training and other actions. All this enables NPO Energomash to further develop, modernize production equipment, and also to motivate the enterprise’s workforce to create and implement all promising new projects in the field of rocket engine building.
According to RSC Energia president Vladimir Solntsev, today the corporation produces a whole line of rocket engines based on a single technological principle, that is, they can use almost any launcher: from ultra-light rockets to super-heavy ones. Statistics is a stubborn thing, in this regard, our engines today demonstrate 100% reliability in operation. In 2014, almost half of all space launches in the world were carried out using rocket engines, which are produced by the Russian NPO Energomash. 3 worked in the corporation on the last billionth contract with the USA and we are pleased that our American colleagues share our principles: in today's reality, along with competitive price and product quality, the reliability of the supplier itself also comes to the fore.
Solntsev also noted the successful cooperation with the Americans on RD-180 engines. Russian engineers specially adapted this engine for the American Atlas rocket. According to him, over the past two years, the Russian company has fully fulfilled the contract with the United Launch Alliance, which provided for the adaptation of the RD-180 engine for manned United States programs. According to Solntsev, with the Russian engine Atlas-5 can now find a new history, get a new face.
At the same time, the United States passed a law on military appropriations for the 2015 fiscal year, which includes an amendment from Republican Senator John McCain. This amendment establishes a ban on the further acquisition of RD-180 engines for Atlas-5 missiles, but this is only a matter of military loads. The fact is that the Atlas launch vehicle puts into orbit not only civil satellites, but also military satellites. Against this background, many lawmakers today argue that the interests of US national security are dependent on Russian technology. At the same time, the adopted law provides for the allocation of 220 million dollars for the creation of an American replacement for the Russian RD-180. The United States Air Force, which is responsible for conducting space launches, proposes to solve this problem in 5 years. At the same time, at the Pentagon they openly say that they have no idea how to use the allocated funds - it is advisable to develop a new engine only for a certain launch vehicle.
At the same time, the procurement of RD-180 for the implementation of non-military programs will continue. Before 2018, Russia must supply the USA with another 24 engine, this contract, also close to one billion dollars, continues to be executed. At the same time, representatives of RSC Energia are currently discussing an increase in the volume of this contract with the United Launch Alliance. The American side is additionally offered another 30 RD-180 engines. And the conclusion of RSC Energia of a new contract for the supply of 60 RD-181 engines shows that the United States is confident in Russia as a reliable partner and rely on domestic technologies.
Participants of the transaction
RSC Energia is the leading Russian enterprise in the rocket and space industry, the parent organization responsible for manned space systems. Energia works on the development of automatic space and rocket systems (launch vehicles and interorbital transportation), as well as a variety of high-tech systems for use in non-space fields. Corporation since August 2014, headed by V. L. Solntsev.
NPO Energomash, named after Academician V.P. Glushko, is a Russian enterprise, which is currently the leading designer and manufacturer of liquid-propellant rocket engines - liquid rocket engines. The company was founded in 1929. The main products of Energomash are engines designed for lower rocket stages.
Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) is an American manufacturer of space products that specializes in the production of launch vehicles and spacecraft. The company is actively involved in the provision of international launch services for missiles. In total, more 560 launch vehicles were manufactured on OSC, and 174 of various satellites were created. OSC currently occupies 60% of the small launch vehicle market, 55% of the small communications satellite market and 40% of the interceptor missile market. A new stage for this American company was the work on the creation of the unmanned spacecraft Signus, which is one of two private supply spacecraft being created as part of the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation program. The goal of the program is to deliver goods to the ISS after the end of the Space Shuttle program. Signus launches will be carried out with the help of the Antares launch vehicle.
Information sources:
http://tass.ru/kosmos/1702392
http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2279376#
http://ria.ru/space/20150116/1042791944.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/rolling_news/2015/01/150116_rn_russia_usa_rocket_engines
http://www.energia.ru/ru/news/news-2015/news_01-16.html (РКК «Энергия»)
It is about supplying a large batch of rocket engines to the USA. The amount of the signed contract is about one billion dollars, while the subsidiary of RSC Energia will supply Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) with a large batch of 60 rocket engines. Americans will get the first RD-181 engines already in June 2015. Thus, the sanctions that were imposed by Washington against Moscow because of the situation in the Crimea and in the east of Ukraine have so far not affected the business of RSC Energia, which supplies rocket engines for various American projects. At the same time, calls for termination of this cooperation are periodically heard. This position in particular is held by the well-known American politician - Senator John McCain.
It is reported that in the creation of a new engine, the employees of Energia invested 3 of their labor. As a basis, Russian engineers took rocket engines designed for the most modern Russian launch vehicles of the Angara family. Their main task was to adapt this engine under the American Antares rocket. In this case, the design of the engine, it was decided to simplify not to the detriment of its quality. The new RD-181 engine can be compared to the Kalashnikov automatic: it is cheap, but it is also reliable and reliable. At the same time, the development and testing of the new rocket engine was carried out "at random" - with its own money, as a result, Energia did not fail, according to Vesti journalists. Even customers from the United States could not get past the Russian space news.
Vladimir Solntsev, President of RSC Energia, said: “When American engineers first saw our new engine alive, they fell in love with it. Do not fall in love with RD-181 impossible. This is a true work of art. The engine can be compared to a work of art, it must be beautiful. Ugly designs cannot work efficiently, reliably. " Also, Vladimir Solntsev stressed that there is no place to buy a similar engine in the world today.
The outcome of the negotiations between the Khimki NPO Energomash (a subsidiary of RSC Energia) and the American OSC OSC became a contract for the delivery of rocket engines to the US 60. In addition to the engines, the contract involves additional items - flight training, equipment installation and testing already in the entire complex. This means that without Russian engineers at Cape Canaveral in the near future just will not do. Vladimir Solntsev noted that in the work style of RSC Energia, quite friendly and good relations developed with the partners from the United States. Without these relationships, it is difficult to produce such complex products that are so technically advanced. Currently, at the company level, there is complete mutual understanding. This applies to designers, engineers, financiers, all of them for the preparation of this contract worked as a team.
The first two rocket engines RD-181 American customer can get in the summer 2015 year. A total of three options were signed, each for 20 engines. At 20 engines now there is a firm contract, for its implementation in RSC Energia has already begun. The signed contract for 60 engines allows Russian companies to work with work for the decade ahead. At the same time, the proceeds from the contract are planned to be spent on the development of domestic production. Of course, they will go to the modernization and development of new rocket engines.
After the explosion, which occurred on the Antares launch vehicle at the end of October 2014, in the United States, there were calls at the legislative level to ban the supply of components from the Russian Federation. Allegedly, then the cause of the accident were just Russian-made engines. But in fact, AJ-26 is an upgraded version of the still Soviet rocket engine NK-33, which was made by a Ukrainian enterprise. Now, the first stage of the Antares launch vehicles manufactured by Orbital Sciences will be based on RD-181 engines. Prior to that, they were equipped with AJ-26 rocket engines, built on the basis of the Soviet NK-33. At the same time, Russian engine models managed to establish themselves as one of the most reliable on the planet. It is not by chance that Washington brings its most expensive satellites into Earth orbit using Atlas-5 launch vehicles, on which Russian RD-180s are based.
Such excellent statistics today, few can boast: 60 trouble-free launches carried out in a row. Therefore, no matter how much the United States Senate raised questions about trying to break cooperation with the Russian Federation, at least in the space industry, US companies are not ready to abandon important Russian partners, at least for now. When the contract for the supply of RD-181 rocket engines was being prepared, the Russians and their American colleagues had time to discuss joint projects on the operation of the ISS and deep space exploration. Today, both in Russia and in the USA, they are well aware that the evolution of the knowledge of outer space cannot be stopped. Political games of this evolution are not a hindrance.
It is worth noting that individual US senators can demand anything. However, to create its own rocket engine, which would be similar to the Russian RD-181, the United States would need about 10 years and about 3 billion dollars. According to Solntsev, the creation of such an analog would take from 7 to 10 years. He noted that he had no doubt that the Americans would be able to create such an analogue, only the question arises, why is this necessary? He also noted that the output at the output may not be as straightforward as we would like. Stressing that no one has yet canceled or killed international cooperation.
The RD-181 rocket engine was created specifically for use on the Antares launch vehicle (ANTARES), the use of this engine will allow to deliver to the ISS, as well as low near-earth orbits, significantly more payload. This is a single-chamber liquid-propellant rocket engine with oxidizing gas afterburning. In the production of engines RD-181 apply only the most modern materials, design and technical solutions. Due to this, it was possible to increase the power engineering of the RD-181 (thrust - 186 tons). The engine is a modernization of the RD-191 (the first development engine was assembled in May 2001 of the year), which ensured a successful flight to the Angara launch vehicle in the summer of 2014, and was also installed on the Angara-A5 PH, which made a successful flight with Plesetsk Cosmodrome last December.
It is reported that the billion-dollar contract for the supply of engines signed with the American side implies their design support - conducting fire tests, their installation, as well as flight training and other actions. All this enables NPO Energomash to further develop, modernize production equipment, and also to motivate the enterprise’s workforce to create and implement all promising new projects in the field of rocket engine building.
According to RSC Energia president Vladimir Solntsev, today the corporation produces a whole line of rocket engines based on a single technological principle, that is, they can use almost any launcher: from ultra-light rockets to super-heavy ones. Statistics is a stubborn thing, in this regard, our engines today demonstrate 100% reliability in operation. In 2014, almost half of all space launches in the world were carried out using rocket engines, which are produced by the Russian NPO Energomash. 3 worked in the corporation on the last billionth contract with the USA and we are pleased that our American colleagues share our principles: in today's reality, along with competitive price and product quality, the reliability of the supplier itself also comes to the fore.
Solntsev also noted the successful cooperation with the Americans on RD-180 engines. Russian engineers specially adapted this engine for the American Atlas rocket. According to him, over the past two years, the Russian company has fully fulfilled the contract with the United Launch Alliance, which provided for the adaptation of the RD-180 engine for manned United States programs. According to Solntsev, with the Russian engine Atlas-5 can now find a new history, get a new face.
At the same time, the United States passed a law on military appropriations for the 2015 fiscal year, which includes an amendment from Republican Senator John McCain. This amendment establishes a ban on the further acquisition of RD-180 engines for Atlas-5 missiles, but this is only a matter of military loads. The fact is that the Atlas launch vehicle puts into orbit not only civil satellites, but also military satellites. Against this background, many lawmakers today argue that the interests of US national security are dependent on Russian technology. At the same time, the adopted law provides for the allocation of 220 million dollars for the creation of an American replacement for the Russian RD-180. The United States Air Force, which is responsible for conducting space launches, proposes to solve this problem in 5 years. At the same time, at the Pentagon they openly say that they have no idea how to use the allocated funds - it is advisable to develop a new engine only for a certain launch vehicle.
At the same time, the procurement of RD-180 for the implementation of non-military programs will continue. Before 2018, Russia must supply the USA with another 24 engine, this contract, also close to one billion dollars, continues to be executed. At the same time, representatives of RSC Energia are currently discussing an increase in the volume of this contract with the United Launch Alliance. The American side is additionally offered another 30 RD-180 engines. And the conclusion of RSC Energia of a new contract for the supply of 60 RD-181 engines shows that the United States is confident in Russia as a reliable partner and rely on domestic technologies.
Participants of the transaction
RSC Energia is the leading Russian enterprise in the rocket and space industry, the parent organization responsible for manned space systems. Energia works on the development of automatic space and rocket systems (launch vehicles and interorbital transportation), as well as a variety of high-tech systems for use in non-space fields. Corporation since August 2014, headed by V. L. Solntsev.
NPO Energomash, named after Academician V.P. Glushko, is a Russian enterprise, which is currently the leading designer and manufacturer of liquid-propellant rocket engines - liquid rocket engines. The company was founded in 1929. The main products of Energomash are engines designed for lower rocket stages.
Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) is an American manufacturer of space products that specializes in the production of launch vehicles and spacecraft. The company is actively involved in the provision of international launch services for missiles. In total, more 560 launch vehicles were manufactured on OSC, and 174 of various satellites were created. OSC currently occupies 60% of the small launch vehicle market, 55% of the small communications satellite market and 40% of the interceptor missile market. A new stage for this American company was the work on the creation of the unmanned spacecraft Signus, which is one of two private supply spacecraft being created as part of the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation program. The goal of the program is to deliver goods to the ISS after the end of the Space Shuttle program. Signus launches will be carried out with the help of the Antares launch vehicle.
Information sources:
http://tass.ru/kosmos/1702392
http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2279376#
http://ria.ru/space/20150116/1042791944.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/rolling_news/2015/01/150116_rn_russia_usa_rocket_engines
http://www.energia.ru/ru/news/news-2015/news_01-16.html (РКК «Энергия»)
Information