Russia to Develop Rocket for New-Generation Manned Spacecraft

[Danderman]

So, its an Atlas Heavy with a 4 engine Centaur.

[Patchouli]

I think they rather choose the Angara than a foreign rocket, or most probably they delay the PPTS until the RUS-M will be ready (realisticly well into the 2020's) until than they have to use the good old Soyuz spacecraft and LV. 

I see only one oppurtunity for the Zenit with PPTS: if the Ukraine gov. financialy get in the Russian space programme, which is currently totally impossible...

I can see an upgraded Soyuz maybe Soyuz-K or a revived Kliper becoming a contender if PPTS is delayed till 2020.

They would risk falling behind the US and China if they don't get something new ready quickly.

The US actually is a bigger threat now then it was when CxP was going as before it was just Orion and Dragon but now it's Dragon,Dream,Chaser,the Boeing Capsule,a crewed version of Cygnus and who knows what else is in the works.
I heard Blue Origin has a biconic vehicle they want to build.

Russia's real problem is that Proton needs a replacement as it's a toxic hypergolic vehicle that may not meet future safety and environmental regulations.

Soyuz being a lox kerosene rocket probably still has life left in the design.
There is are lot of things they could do to reduce the cost of the R7 while increasing it's payload though it'll never be EELV heavy class like Rus-M/Angara.
But EELV light to medium performance is possible.
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz3_lv.html

Ironically because of the US CRS program production of the NK-33 engine for Soyuz 3 could be partly supported by Taurus II.

[zaitcev]

So, its an Atlas Heavy with a 4 engine Centaur.

LOL witty! Actually, no, not quite the same:

 1. Both are PowerPoint boosters at present, and what is likely to exist differs drastically: Atlas V is going to WBC (or ACES) first, and is quite unlikely to have 3 CCBs strapped together ever (although it's possible). Rus-M, on the contrary, is going to start with 3-core configuration and perhaps develop 1-core version, if Angara falters.

 2. The mythical Atlas V "Heavy" is not going to have the engine-out capability, whereas such capability is technically the only reason for Rus-M to exist (there are political reasons also, but that's different).

-- Pete

[Serafeim]

Both are PowerPoint boosters at present,

thats the reason I think russia may think again the ppts on the ready and proven Zenit..

[clb22]

Both are PowerPoint boosters at present,

thats the reason I think russia may think again the ppts on the ready and proven Zenit..

Zenit is an unreliable rocket which is not built in Russia. There is no way they use it as their next generation rocket for crew launches.

[zaitcev]

Both are PowerPoint boosters at present,

thats the reason I think russia may think again the ppts on the ready and proven Zenit..

Zenit is an unreliable rocket which is not built in Russia. There is no way they use it as their next generation rocket for crew launches.

The big deal with Zenit's reliability only exists in minds of posters at NK forums. Soviets have built crew access towers for Zenit at Baikonur, which are still standing. That said, the Ukrainian issue is real, and Serafeim really ought to give it a rest already.
-- Pete

[clb22]

Both are PowerPoint boosters at present,

thats the reason I think russia may think again the ppts on the ready and proven Zenit..

Zenit is an unreliable rocket which is not built in Russia. There is no way they use it as their next generation rocket for crew launches.

The big deal with Zenit's reliability only exists in minds of posters at NK forums. Soviets have built crew access towers for Zenit at Baikonur, which are still standing. That said, the Ukrainian issue is real, and Serafeim really ought to give it a rest already.
-- Pete

The success rate of Zenit is only slightly above 80%. Soyuz success rate in the last 30 years is somewhere in the 98% range. Even Proton is 96% successful.

Humans will never ride on a Zenit rocket.

[patchfree]

Both are PowerPoint boosters at present,

thats the reason I think russia may think again the ppts on the ready and proven Zenit..

Zenit is an unreliable rocket which is not built in Russia. There is no way they use it as their next generation rocket for crew launches.

The big deal with Zenit's reliability only exists in minds of posters at NK forums. Soviets have built crew access towers for Zenit at Baikonur, which are still standing. That said, the Ukrainian issue is real, and Serafeim really ought to give it a rest already.
-- Pete

The success rate of Zenit is only slightly above 80%. Soyuz success rate in the last 30 years is somewhere in the 98% range. Even Proton is 96% successful.

Humans will never ride on a Zenit rocket.

Zenit is a "recently" designed rocket. In some view a very modern rocket with a launching process highly automated. Another political environment could boost its future...
Superb Rd 170 engine, easy human-ratable, etc...

Probably it will not never launch piloted spacecraft but beautifull piece of design.

Patch

[fregate]

More "paper rockets" (no offense - they are from preliminary design),
thanks to user Commix from Russian NK Magazine forum:

Two options for RUS-M Cargo LV with LEO payload of 50 tonn


Option A. 3 Stage LV
Stage I 
- 4 boosters propelled by RD-180,
- central core  RD-180;
Stage II - 1x RD-180;
Stage III - 4 x RD0146.

Option B. 3 Stage LV
Stage I 
- 4 boosters propelled by 2 x РД0163 each, engine nozzle diameter 1770 мм,
- central core 1x РД0163, engine nozzle diameter 2300 мм;
Stage II - 1x РД0163, engine nozzle diameter 2300 мм;
Stage III - 4 x RD0146.

[fregate]

3-component RD-0163 and cryogenic RD-0146 engines specifications

[zaitcev]

Alcohol is not that bad. At least it's not peroxyde. Although, Soyuz uses peroxyde and only had one big decomposition explosion in 1700 launches.

[fregate]

Thanks to user BOL"SHOY from Russian NK Magazine forum:
Rus'-M URM First Stage Booster (2 configurations)

[fregate]

Thanks to users Commix & Bolshoy from Russian NK Magazine forum:
Rus-M Super Heavy Launch Vehicle (2 configurations)

Configuration 1
Stage 0 – 8 boosters 1x RD-180 each,
Stage 1 - central core  4xRD-0120;
Stage 2 - 4xRD-0120;
LEO payload 100 metric tonnes.

Configuration 2
Stage 0 – 6 boosters 2x RD-0163 each,
Stage 1 - central core  4xRD-0120;
Stage 2 - 4xRD-0120;
LEO payload 100 metric tonnes.

[fregate]

NK Forum update:

An official page from Samara Space Center (image attached)

One of the possible configurations of LV with payload 50 metric tonnes on LEO: 

[Lars_J]

Thanks to users Commix & Bolshoy from Russian NK Magazine forum:
Rus-M Super Heavy Launch Vehicle (2 configurations)

Configuration 1
Stage 0 – 8 boosters 1x RD-180 each,
Stage 1 - central core  4xRD-0120;
Stage 2 - 4xRD-0120;
LEO payload 100 metric tonnes.

Configuration 2
Stage 0 – 6 boosters 2x RD-0163 each,
Stage 1 - central core  4xRD-0120;
Stage 2 - 4xRD-0120;
LEO payload 100 metric tonnes.

Energia II/Energia reborn?  Either this is fanwank or it is more powerpoint madness.

[Damon Hill]

Any details on the RD-0163 and RD-240 engines?

[fregate]

Any details on the RD-0163 and RD-240 engines?

Damon, with all do respect where did you find any reference about Russian RD-240 engine? AFAIK it does not exist, unlike RD-0163.

[Damon Hill]

My Russian is nearly nonexistant, but I took from an image posted by yourself several messages ago to imply that there might be such an engine as perhaps an uprated version of the RD-180.  That might have simply been my misreading two versions of the same family of rockets or stages.

To simplify, what details are available on the RD-0163?  From somewhere I got the impression that it was a redesigned RD-180 with a different fuel source (alcohol?) for the turbopump gas generator.

[fregate]

A quote from Orbiter-forum by SiberianTiger:
RD-0163 is an advanced engine concept by Chemical Automatics Design Bureau, using a separate fuel for turbo-pump in order to get rid of char deposits in the turbo-pump working at exceed of fuel in the mixture.

LRE RD-0163 specifications (BTW not official- for reference only):
Paremeter   Value
Oxidizer   LOX
Primary fuel   Kerosene
TP fuel   65% water 35% alcohol
Thrust at sea level   248.64 t
Thrust in vacuum   277.4 t
ISP at sea level   286.8
ISP in vacuum   330

[fregate]

For those who asked what is inside of PLF with the strange name USZB, the answer is - Russian NTR-propulsion space tug:

Courtesy of Keldish Space Center, Moscow