Serial production of the world's most powerful liquid-propellant rocket engine RD-171MV is approaching

21

The Soviet RD-170 unit, which launched the legendary Buran spacecraft into orbit as part of the Energia launch vehicle, undoubtedly became the pinnacle of the evolution of liquid-propellant rocket engines.

At the same time, despite the fact that the engine was used only twice before the collapse of the USSR, the efforts of domestic engineers were not in vain. Later, already in modern Russia, its further modification - RD-171M - was used to launch the Zenit launch vehicle. In addition, the design potential inherent in the model made it possible to develop a whole line of new engines for launch vehicles of different classes. In particular, RD-180 and RD-181 (export versions for the USA) and RD-191, installed on Russian Angara-A5 launch vehicles.

At the same time, the above-mentioned units could boast only part of the capabilities of the legendary RD-170. All the power of the engine that equipped the super-heavy “Energia” was unclaimed in our country for a long time. However, it seems that this moment has arrived.



The rapid development of Russian cosmonautics, which successfully overcame the crisis of the 90s, required the launch of heavy loads into orbit. This, in turn, led to the need to create a modern, powerful rocket engine.

As a result, the RD-171MV appeared, which absorbed all the best from its predecessors, and also received a new control system, improved fire protection and a number of advanced design solutions.

At the same time, the Russian RD-171MV, like the Soviet RD-170 in its time, has become the most powerful liquid-propellant rocket engine in the world.

The thermal power generated by the combustion chamber is 27 million kW, and the turbopump unit develops a power of 180 thousand kW.

The above-mentioned characteristics allow the RD-171MV, with its own weight of 10 tons, to develop a thrust of over 800 tons.

It is worth noting that last week it became known that the assembly of the second sample of the world’s most powerful rocket engine for future flight tests was completed. In addition, according to some reports, the creation of a third one is nearing completion.

The next stages of the program will be interdepartmental testing of the unit and its serial production to complete the latest Soyuz-5 launch vehicle. In addition, it is the RD-171MV that is planned to be used as part of the promising Yenisei super-heavy missile.

21 comment
Information
Dear reader, to leave comments on the publication, you must sign in.
  1. UAZ 452
    UAZ 452
    -1
    11 December 2023 15: 11
    Much more important than absolute power is specific power - calculated per unit of weight. How does this engine fare with this indicator? Also ahead of the rest, or another Tsar Cannon, not suitable for shooting?
    1. JD1979
      JD1979
      0
      11 December 2023 16: 08
      Well, count, all the data is in the text.
      1. The comment was deleted.
      2. UAZ 452
        UAZ 452
        +2
        11 December 2023 18: 04
        Do you mean it?

        The above-mentioned characteristics allow the RD-171MV, with its own weight of 10 tons, to develop a thrust of over 800 tons.

        This is data, but by ALL I meant comparing this indicator with other modern liquid rocket engines.
        For example, the Russian RD-191M has a thrust of about 200 tons with a dead weight of 2,5 tons, while the RD-192 has a slightly higher thrust, but with a dead weight of 2250 kg. It may make sense to install one large engine instead of four smaller ones, for example, if it is cheaper, but let’s compare it with Ilonov’s “Raptors”: the first modification has a thrust of 185 tons, but with a weight of 2 tons, and the second has 230 tons, with its own weighing 1600 kg! I'm not saying that the engine under discussion is bad, but to pedal in advertising the fact that it is the most powerful in the world... This is from a series of unforgettable Soviet jokes about the world's largest Soviet microcalculators.
        We definitely need to be the first, instead of just making a good, competitive rocket engine, even if it won’t be the very best in anything, but it will be among (at least simply among) the best in terms of the ratio of parameters, including the main one: price-quality (in a broad sense). And gigantomania is a sign of complexes and lack of self-confidence.
        1. Vyacheslav_6
          Vyacheslav_6
          +1
          12 December 2023 06: 36
          Specific thrust, as you understand it, plays practically no role for rocket engines, especially for such thrusts. This is, firstly, and secondly, this is not gigantomania and the engine was originally designed for super-heavy carriers. The launch weight of "Energia" is 2400 tons. 4 RD-170 engines weighed, say, 40 tons, one hundred would be 1.6% of the mass. Much more important is another specific thrust or specific impulse, calculated as thrust divided by fuel consumption. This engine has everything in order with this. Our problem is not with engines, but with rockets. Here is a paradox: in the 60s there were no powerful engines, but now not missiles for these engines. "Yenisei" was covered.
          1. UAZ 452
            UAZ 452
            0
            13 December 2023 15: 45
            4 RD-170 engines weighed, say, 40 tons, one hundred would be 1.6% of the mass.

            But isn’t the mass of the payload approximately the same tiny fraction of the mass of the rocket (including fuel and oxidizer, of course)? And the weight of the engine, at least the last stage, is directly subtracted from the weight of the potential payload, kilogram for kilogram.
            Thanks for the rest of the educational program, I always like to improve my erudition - it will come in handy when solving crossword puzzles :)).
    2. El Roz
      El Roz
      -1
      12 December 2023 01: 13
      the engine is given to operate the rocket...
    3. Alexander Nevsky_3
      Alexander Nevsky_3
      0
      12 December 2023 14: 49
      It is said:

      thrust more than 800 tons with a weight of 10 tons - 1/80 unit ratio. weight. and traction
  2. Sergey Latyshev
    Sergey Latyshev
    +1
    11 December 2023 17: 57
    Engines are always good.
    Another thing is that the Americans and Chinese are already quite successfully launching specific cargo and satellites without the latest engines.
    So we are waiting for the results...
  3. Alex Rosenberg
    Alex Rosenberg
    -1
    11 December 2023 20: 31
    Rogozin offered the Americans trampolines. Now they are jumping on them, but Russia is left with nothing.
    1. El Roz
      El Roz
      -3
      12 December 2023 01: 16
      Americans bought Russian engines for billions of dollars after 2014, and Russia makes taxiways and introduces new ones.
      What are you talking about?
  4. Avedi
    Avedi
    0
    12 December 2023 09: 16
    You are all lying, because the “most powerful” liquid-propellant rocket engine is the Pindos F1 - 690 tons of thrust! Only they are his kind of pro..or) losers
    1. Paul3390
      Paul3390
      +1
      12 December 2023 12: 27
      The interesting thing is that the RD-170 has a development line, and this is not surprising, why not suddenly use a successful unit? But the technological miracle F-1, which even by modern times has supposedly exorbitant characteristics, has no descendants. No one. Is it possible?
  5. Platon Verdictov
    Platon Verdictov
    0
    12 December 2023 12: 35
    In no area is there an objective, according to Hamburg account, picture. It is very convenient for the guarantors - in the monopolized media they tweeted for 150 million at once, and all objective explanations and refutations on all sorts of boring sites no longer play a role. A day later, on Fish Thursday, in the first 5 minutes we will hear that the guarantor is satisfied with the work of the government and the Central Bank. But the lights will not be turned off and they will not disperse - for another four, five hours they will give away guinea pigs to special children.
  6. ont65
    ont65
    0
    12 December 2023 23: 56
    Alas, the engine is not only the most powerful, but also the most expensive, which is very critical for the Russian Federation. Until there are reusable media where it can be used, its production will be limited. In any case, the basic Soyuz-5 will assemble 1-2 carriers per year.
  7. Flight
    Flight
    0
    13 December 2023 03: 39
    I hope that the Earth will not leave orbit when this monster is launched. Otherwise it will be fun - 6 billion astronauts.
  8. webor
    webor
    0
    16 December 2023 09: 26
    The engine is really good. But of course you neglected to mention the rapid development of Russian cosmonautics. If you look at the launch statistics, it looks like rapid degradation. Unfortunately, our astronautics has no chance in Putin’s Russia. Other priorities.
  9. anclevalico
    anclevalico
    +1
    18 December 2023 15: 02
    The rapid development of Russian cosmonautics...

    Hmm, did I miss something?
    1. The comment was deleted.
  10. Alexander Vishnevsky
    Alexander Vishnevsky
    0
    19 December 2023 12: 31
    How stupid, stupid, mediocre, and, most importantly, humiliating it all is to yell at all the intersections about “victories”!
    The "largest" integrated circuit,
    The "biggest" CHIP,
    Most most! There are no such things!
    Who “sat down” on the Moon the other day?!
    This is approximately what will happen with this engine.
    Our Investigative Committee, Ministry of Internal Affairs, FSB and others are too good...
    There are more crests per square meter than in Zhitomir.
  11. Avtandil
    Avtandil
    0
    22 January 2024 14: 34
    Only two phrases from Soviet times come to mind: “And what did it give him?”, “So you say, “I’m smart, smart”... Why then am I so poor?” Will there be a fart in the water, as always?
    1. Avtandil
      Avtandil
      0
      22 January 2024 14: 36
      So the whole problem is with Ukrainians?
  12. Avtandil
    Avtandil
    0
    22 January 2024 14: 41
    Question: “What can these engines deliver into orbit? What USEFUL cargo? An astronaut, whom you just have to watch so as not to die? A super-duper telescope? So the Hubble must first be created. Weapons. This will definitely do.