Soviet/Russian counterparts to X-30/NASP

[VDD1991]

The National Aerospaceplane and its intended tech demonstrator the X-30 are well known in aerospace history circles because NASP was the American effort at developing a spaceplane capable of either hypersonic passenger travel or reaching orbit under its own power. However, little known are efforts by the Soviet Union, and later Russia, in the late 1980s and early 1990s to create their rival to the NASP. Tupolev and Mikoyan-Gurevich responded with the Tu-2000 and MiG-2000 SSTO spaceplane designs. The Tu-2000 would have been bigger than the NASP, while the Tu-2000 tech demonstrator would have similarly bigger than the X-30 but smaller than the SSTO Tu-2000. The MiG-2000, on the other hand, was similarly bigger than the NASP but was smaller than either the Tu-2000 tech demonstrator or SSTO Tu-2000.

The Russian attempts at an equivalent to the X-30/NASP were all for naught, however. Even though Tupolev manufactured many components to be used in the Tu-2000 tech demonstrator, including cryogenic fuel tanks and nickel alloys, the Tu-2000 was axed in 1993 due to lack of funds.

Info about the Tu-2000 and MiG-2000 can be found at:

http://astronautix.com/t/tu-2000.html
https://www.testpilot.ru/russia/mikoyan/mig/2000/mig2000_e.htm
https://www.testpilot.ru/russia/tupolev/2000/2000.htm

[john smith 19]

The National Aerospaceplane and its intended tech demonstrator the X-30 are well known in aerospace history circles because NASP was the American effort at developing a spaceplane capable of either hypersonic passenger travel or reaching orbit under its own power. However, little known are efforts by the Soviet Union, and later Russia, in the late 1980s and early 1990s to create their rival to the NASP. Tupolev and Mikoyan-Gurevich responded with the Tu-2000 and MiG-2000 SSTO spaceplane designs. The Tu-2000 would have been bigger than the NASP, while the Tu-2000 tech demonstrator would have similarly bigger than the X-30 but smaller than the SSTO Tu-2000. The MiG-2000, on the other hand, was similarly bigger than the NASP but was smaller than either the Tu-2000 tech demonstrator or SSTO Tu-2000.

The Russian attempts at an equivalent to the X-30/NASP were all for naught, however. Even though Tupolev manufactured many components to be used in the Tu-2000 tech demonstrator, including cryogenic fuel tanks and nickel alloys, the Tu-2000 was axed in 1993 due to lack of funds.

Info about the Tu-2000 and MiG-2000 can be found at:

http://astronautix.com/t/tu-2000.html
https://www.testpilot.ru/russia/mikoyan/mig/2000/mig2000_e.htm
https://www.testpilot.ru/russia/tupolev/2000/2000.htm

Skimmed the information. It seems they very sensibly didn't believe that SCramjets would work. As TA Heppenheimer's book notes this was correct, given no one had checked the PI's data on air properties, which was wrong and only spotted after the programme has spent the equivalent of $6Bn to do nothing.

It seems MiG were looking at a sled launched design then conventional ramjet to M5 then rocket design. That would make the actual model closer to the Boeing RASV programme, which Boeing were so confident they could implement that they offered it to the USAF as a fixed price project, not the usual cost + fee arrangement which is how projects with high perceived risk are usually funded.

This would make the collaboration with BAe on an "Interim HOTOL" around the late 80's more sensible.

BTW there is a historical section on this site, which is probably more appropriate for "What might have been" designs like this.

[Hog]

"Slush hydrogen" at just above the melting point of hydrogen which is 14.01K or −259.14°C while providing 16-20% increased density over liquid hydrogen, must have had some unique challenges to its use.

[john smith 19]

"Slush hydrogen" at just above the melting point of hydrogen which is 14.01K or −259.14°C while providing 16-20% increased density over liquid hydrogen, must have had some unique challenges to its use.

Correct. It's a favorite with "Advanced studies" in some next gen LV.

IRL whenever you get 2 phase systems (gas/liquid, solid/liquid) you're going to get tricky behavior and unexpected consequences. They usually want high pressure as well, which means a head rise for the H2 measured in kilometres. I've not seen any work on the effect of slush propellants on turbopump impellers.

OTOH deep cooling to just above the slush point gives you a density increase while retaining single phase flow, which is much  more straightforward to deal with.

[Vahe231991]

Energia in the 1980s proposed a super-heavy SSTO spaceplane, the MVKS, which was 231 feet (71 meters) long with a wingspan of 137 feet (42 meters), and a gross weight of 1,540,000 lb (700,000 kg). It would have carried a 55,000 lb (25 metric ton) payload to a 200 km orbit with a 51 degree inclination.

http://www.astronautix.com/m/mvks.html
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/tupolev-tu-2000-other-vks-projects.220/
https://weebau.com/rockwing/rusplanes.htm