One of the most important parts of the engine is the turbopump unit for supplying oxygen and kerosene to the combustion chamber.

Shaft with turbine, centrifugal screw wheel of the oxidizer pump, bearings and impeller seals.
More details http://www.lpre.de/energomash/RD-170/index.htm

In the 50s, Soviet and American specialists, almost independently of each other, found a way out of the impasse. (By the way, it was after this that the era of space rockets began.) The nozzle shell was made of two layers, between which the coolant flowed: the inner thin wall transferred the heat of hot gases well to it, while the outer thick one absorbed power loads. Behind the apparent simplicity was the titanic work of technologists; it is not so easy to combine three components into a single whole...

RD-170 at the stand.

By our time, the production of double-layer housings had been brought to perfection, and in order to increase engine power, something fundamentally new was required. This is what was embodied in the RD-170. It artificially creates conditions under which the region of maximum temperatures is located along the axis of the combustion chamber, and at its periphery it is much “cooler”. The latter is achieved by changing the optimal ratio of fuel (kerosene) and oxidizer (oxygen).

Excess kerosene is injected into the peripheral area through additional nozzles. In addition, part of the kerosene, which played the role of a coolant, seeps through the capillary holes on inside nozzles That is, a fire raging near the walls is partially extinguished... with fuel! This made it possible to increase the temperature in the core of the chamber, and consequently, the engine power.

It is growing thanks to one more feature. The fact is that it is not so easy to achieve complete combustion of all fuel mixture inside the chamber; a part of it, although small, is usually carried out of the nozzle. Therefore, a “cocktail” of fuel and oxidizer must be prepared very quickly and efficiently. Designers tried all kinds of mixers and nozzles: jet, slot, lattice, vortex, centrifugal... And in the 60s, the RD-253 (it launches Protons into space) used something that would make any specialist in fire safety: self-igniting components were mixed directly in the pipeline, up to the combustion chamber! Of course, we had to take into account a lot of subtleties, but the main thing is that the engine worked successfully. However, for almost 30 years no one dared to repeat such a scheme. Before the advent of the RD-170.

The figure shows that already in the turbopump unit all the oxygen entering it and part of the kerosene are mixed. The designers made a fire in the pipeline the design mode of the engine - due to an excess of oxygen, the temperature of the mixture (and here its composition is not optimal for combustion) rises to only 400 ° C. However, what is a hot mixture with an excess of oxygen? A very aggressive environment, fatal to any metal. The walls of the pipeline, of course, can be made very thick, but in the path of the corrosive flow there is a thin and flexible bellows pipe. You can’t do it differently - when controlling a rocket, the engine must rotate in two planes by 6 - 8 degrees. Here, chemists have already tried their best and created a unique nickel alloy for the pipe (the composition of which, of course, is classified), capable of withstanding an aggressive mixture with a pressure of 270 - 300 atm.

In the combustion chamber, it combines with heated kerosene that has passed through the cooling jacket, and now the flame is raging with might and main: although the pressure drops to 250 atm, the temperature reaches 3500°C! At the same time, on the walls (we already know why) it is approximately 2800°C lower. Gas escapes from the nozzle with specific impulse 330 s and creates a thrust of 800 t/s (with an engine mass of about 11 t).

Much in the RD-170 aroused admiration among American specialists. But for NPO Energomash this stage has already been passed. On the desk of the General Director, Doctor of Technical Sciences Boris Katorgin, there are already drawings of the world's first three-component (oxygen, hydrogen, kerosene) liquid propellant rocket engine. For now it was called RD-701. The engine weight will be 1.8 tons, and it will develop a maximum thrust of 200 t/s. It will operate in two modes, consuming 6% hydrogen, 12.6% kerosene and 81.4% oxygen after start, and with further acceleration - no kerosene at all. The application of the new engine has already been determined - space shuttles taking off from Mriya-type aircraft.
http://epizodsspace.no-ip.org/bibl/tm/1993/6/rd-170.html
The key moment in the international activities of NPO Energomash should be considered 1992, when on October 26, an “Agreement on Joint Marketing and Technology Licensing” was signed with Pratt & Whitney of United Technologies Corporation, in which NPO Energomash appointed United Technologies Corporation as its exclusive marketing representative with respect to the manufacture, use or sale of propulsion systems and licensed technologies in the United States.

In accordance with the signed agreement, NPO Energomash and Pratt & Whitney carried out active and successful marketing activities. In January 1994, in the published report of NASA headquarters “Access to Space,” the possibility of using engines developed by NPO Energomash as the main propulsion engines of American space launch vehicles was officially mentioned for the first time. Such an engine could be the RD-180 engine, a two-chamber derivative of the RD-170 engine used in the first stages of the Zenit and Energia launch vehicles.

In addition, as part of one of the contracts, on October 11-25, 1995 in West Palm Beach, Florida, three bench launches of the RD-120 rocket engine developed by NPO Energomash were successfully carried out at the Pratt & Whitney company's firing stand. In a short time, a large complex of work was completed in the United States to prepare the American test base for fire tests of the Russian serial liquid propellant rocket engine. The success of this program served as strong evidence of the real feasibility of fruitful cooperation between Russian and American specialists.

Also in 1995, Lockheed Martin announced a competition for an engine for its new Atlas IIAR launch vehicle. For the right to represent new engine RD-180 developed by NPO Energomash for Atlas IIAR, at the first stage two American companies competed - Pratt and Whitney and Rocketdyne. In August 1995, the choice was made in favor of Pratt & Whitney. In addition to the RD-180 engine project, the NK-33 engine from the Russian enterprise Trud named after. N.D. Kuznetsov from Samara and a version of the MA-5 engine from Rocketdyne. On January 12, 1996, in Denver, Colorado, Lockheed Martin announced the selection of the RD-180 liquid rocket engine as the engine for the first stage of the Atlas IIAR launch vehicle.

In a very short time, NPO Energomash carried out a large amount of work on the development of the engine, including fire tests at the NPO Energomash stand. In 1998, four successful demonstration fire tests of the RD-180 No. 4A engine were carried out in the United States. As a result, a new RD-180 rocket engine was developed, which in March 1999 was certified for use in the Atlas III launch vehicle.

A lot of work was done by the Foreign Economic Activity Service to obtain government support for the Russian-American project to develop and sell the RD-180 engine. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Russian Space Agency provided great assistance in this. In close cooperation with these organizations, in 1997, a decree of the President of the Russian Federation was prepared and signed, allowing NPO Energomash to sell the RD-180 engine on the American market and organize parallel production of this engine in the USA as part of a joint American-Russian venture.

On January 27, 1997, NPO Energomash and Pratt & Whitney signed an Agreement on the establishment of a limited liability company RD AM ROSS, LLC. The joint venture was created for marketing, sales and organization production base in the USA for the parallel production of RD-180 engines and their modifications.

On May 16, 1997, a five-party Agreement was signed on the use of RD-180 engines produced by NPO Energomash and on supporting parallel production of RD-180 in the USA, in which the Russian Space Agency, NPO Energomash, Lockheed Martin, RD AMROSS and Pratt & Whitney stipulated mutual obligations in the event that Lockheed Martin Astronautics wins the final stage of the EELV competition. In this document, Lockheed Martin guaranteed the purchase of 101 commercial RD-180 engines.

The peculiarity of the Russian-American project, in which NPO Energomash participates, is that the main contractor, the American company Lockheed Martin, almost simultaneously developed two new launch vehicles, one of which (Atlas III) was intended primarily for launching commercial vehicles into orbit. payloads, and the other (Atlas V) was developed under the EELV (Enhanced Explosive Launch Vehicle) program and should become the basis of a whole family of medium- and heavy-class launch vehicles used in space launches in the interests of both the US government and commercial customers.

Currently, the RD-180 engine is certified for use in Atlas V launch vehicles (EELV) of both medium and heavy class.

On March 28, 1997, a contract was signed for the supply of RD-180 rocket engines to the USA between NPO Energomash and RD AMROSS, LLC.

The first commercial RD-180 engine was delivered to the USA on January 2, 1999. At the beginning of September 2011, 55 commercial engines had already been delivered to the USA. Six launches of the Atlas III launch vehicle with RD-180 engines were carried out (the first was on May 24, 2000). All launches took place without any comments on the operation of the engines.

Among the major flights commissioned by NASA are the launches of the Lunar Surface Orbiter and Lunar Crater Survey System (LRO/LCROSS), the spacecraft to explore the surface of Mars, the spacecraft to explore Pluto and its moon Charon as part of the Flight to New horizons for Pluto”, “Solar Dynamics Observatory” to obtain qualitatively new scientific data on the study of the Sun. By the end of 2011, it is planned to launch the Mars Science Laboratory on the Atlas 5 launch vehicle.

All major inventions used in the development and production of the RD-180 engine are protected by international patents. Obtained 20 US patents and 13 patents from the European Patent Office.

Story

In the 1st quarter of 2013, NPO Energomash completed testing of the RD-193 engine and began preparing documentation for adapting it to the launch vehicle.

Design

The engine is a simplified version of the RD-191. It is distinguished by the absence of a camera swing unit and other structural elements associated with it, which made it possible to reduce the dimensions and weight (by 300 kg), and also reduced its cost.

Modifications

RD-181

RD-181- export version of the engine. A chamber and nozzle swing unit is used, unlike the RD-193. Installed on the first stage of the Antares launch vehicle from Orbital Sciences Corporation. It belongs to the RD-170 family of liquid rocket engines and is a single-chamber liquid propellant engine with a vertically located turbopump unit. The engine is throttled by thrust in the range of 47-100%, thrust vector control is 5°.

In 2012, work began between Orbital Sciences Corporation and NPO Energomash to replace the AJ-26 engine of the first stage of the Antares launch vehicle. In 2013, competitive procedures were launched among NPO Energomash JSC and Kuznetsov PJSC.

In December 2014, a contract was signed between Orbital Sciences Corporation and NPO Energomash worth 224.5 million USD for the supply of 20 RD-181s with a purchase option additional engines until December 31, 2021.

In 2014, design documentation was released, at the beginning of 2015 the first fire test of the RD-181 engine was carried out, and in May the certification of this engine was successfully completed.

In the summer of 2015, the first commercial RD-181 engines were delivered to the United States, with a total of four engines delivered in 2015.

The first launch of the Antares launch vehicle using RD-181 engines took place on October 17, 2016.

Notes

1. A new rocket engine has been created in Russia (undefined) . VPK (April 8, 2013). Archived from the original on June 6, 2013.
2. Ultra-powerful rocket engines in development (undefined) . RGRK “Voice of Russia” (February 22, 2012). Retrieved June 5, 2013. Archived June 6, 2013.
3. The new engine for the light Soyuz rocket will be ready for mass production at the end of the year (undefined) . Magazine “Cosmonautics News” (April 8, 2013). Retrieved June 5, 2013. Archived June 6, 2013.
4. Ognev V.. Universal rocket engine RD-193. Opinion of a development engineer, Magazine "Cosmonautics News". (2013).
5. Russian space: new engines, new systems (undefined) . Echo of Moscow (April 8, 2013). Archived from the original on April 10, 2013.
6. Afanasyev I."Energomash" in the new millennium // Cosmonautics News. - 2012. - T. 22, No. 8.
7. SERGEY GUSEV, HEAD OF THE LIQUID PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT, ABOUT THE RD-181 PROGRAM (Russian). NPO Energomash (April 2017). Archived from the original on August 4, 2017.
8. ANNUAL REPORT of JSC NPO Energomash for 2014 (undefined) . NPO Energomash (2015).

There is a fight in the United States about regaining the status of a “great space power” and abandoning Russian RD-180 rocket engines.

Many people are bothered by the fact that the withdrawal of American military satellites depends on the goodwill of the Russians.

An interesting dualism has arisen in the states regarding this:
The US Air Force and ULA are asking Congress to allow the delivery of the RD-180 to the United States, and Senator John McCain is categorically prohibiting Congress from allowing it.
In the end, Congress lifted the ban- apparently, so far the US Air Force has turned out to be more convincing than the downed American pilot threatening to vote against the budget (because of the RD-180).
:)

At the same time, the American media received a report from a special Pentagon commission led by retired US Air Force Major General Howard Mitchell, in which he noted that without the RD-180, space launches of military satellites after 2016 would be disrupted. Transferring launches from Atlas V rockets, which use Russian engines, to Delta IV rockets (which use RS-68 liquid rocket engines) will still lead to significant delays and possible losses, which could amount to $5 billion.

Have you forgotten about the astronauts who may not receive a return ticket from the ISS?
They also fly with Soviet Russian Soyuz aircraft.

Reference:

RD-180 is produced by NPO Energomash named after academician V.P. Glushko since 1999.

Why can't the Americans make the RD-180?

P.P.S.

United Launch Alliance will purchase 20 more RD-180 engines

Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co's joint venture, United Launch Alliance, has ordered 20 additional Russian RD-180 rocket engines.
Customer representative Jessica Rozh clarified that deliveries of the new batch will begin immediately after the previous order for 29 engines is completed, - reports Reuters.
Russian engines will be used on American Atlas-5 rockets until the United States develops and certifies its own new engine. RD-180s are used in the first stage of American missiles.
The US House of Representatives in December 2014, as an anti-Russian measure in response to events in Ukraine, adopted an amendment from Senator John McCain, which provides complete US phaseout of RD-180 rocket engines until 2019. An exception is made for the contract concluded by the Boeing and Lockheed Martin (ULA) consortium with the Russian NPO Energomash until 2019. It was reported that Congress allocated $220 million for the development of new American engines.

220 million “cut” is clearly not enough, as we have already seen above.

Assembly shop of rocket engines of JSC Kuznetsov / Photo: TASS, Sergey Fadeichev

The first two of 60 RD-181 rocket engines under a contract worth $1 billion were supplied by the Russian side to the American company Orbital Sciences Corporation, RSC Energia told RIA Novosti.

“On July 16, the first two engines were delivered to the United States; the delivery date for the next batch has not yet been announced,” the press service said.

Earlier, TASS reported that the United States would need up to ten years and about $3 billion to create its own rocket engine, similar to the Russian RD-181. This was stated by the President of RSC Energia Vladimir Solntsev.

“If we talk about creating an engine in America, then any power is capable of creating it, the only question is: why? According to my estimates, this will require about $3 billion, and maybe more, and seven to ten years,” said V. Solntsev. He emphasized that the outcome may be ambiguous, and it is not a fact that everything will work out. At the same time, the head of the corporation noted, no one “canceled or killed international cooperation.”

Vladimir Solntsev / Photo: www.rg.ru

Earlier, V. Solntsev reported that NPO Energomash plans to supply the American company Orbital Sciences with 60 new RD-181s, a contract has already been signed for 20 of them. The contract amount is about $1 billion, and this amount includes a whole range of services. V. Solntsev participated in the transaction on behalf of NPO Energomash, since he remains the executive director of the association.

The head of Energia also explained that Energomash and the United Rocket and Space Corporation received all the necessary permits for the transaction.

The RD-181 will be used on the first stage of the Antares rocket, manufactured by Orbital Sciences. Previously, these missiles were equipped with AJ-26 engines, based on the Soviet NK-33.

Russia adapted RD-180 engines to American needs

Solntsev noted that Russian specialists adapted the RD-180 engines supplied to the United States for Atlas rockets for manned launches. "Over the past two years, we have completed a contract with the United Launch Alliance to adapt the RD-180 engine for the United States manned program. Both (launcher) Atlas and Space X won the tender, and we have fulfilled this contract and adapted this engine for manned programs. launches," he said.

"Atlas-5 can now achieve new story, a new face,” noted V. Solntsev.

The US military appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015 includes an amendment from Republican Senator John McCain that would ban further purchases of the RD-180 for missiles. Atlas puts into orbit not only civilian but also military satellites, and many lawmakers argue that US national security interests have become dependent on Russian technology.

At the same time, the law provides for the allocation of $220 million for the development of an American engine to replace the RD-180. The US Air Force, which is responsible for space launches, has been asked to solve the problem within five years. The Pentagon, however, openly admits that they do not know how to use the allocated funds - it is advisable to create a new engine only for a specific launch vehicle.

This is currently being done by the United Launch Alliance corporation, which launches Atlas. The US military believes that it should continue this work.

Technical information

RD-180- closed-cycle liquid rocket engine with afterburning of oxidizing generator gas after the turbine, equipped with two combustion chambers and two nozzles. Developed and produced by OJSC NPO Energomash named after Academician V.P. Glushko. Fuel - kerosene, oxidizer - liquid oxygen. The cost of one engine as of 2010 is $9 million.

RD-180 was created in the mid-90s based onengine RD-170. In 1996, the right to use the engine was acquired by General company Dynamics. It was first used on May 24, 2000, as the first stage of the Atlas IIA-R launch vehicle, a modification of the Atlas IIA rocket. The letter "R" in the name of the rocket indicates the use of the engine Russian production. The rocket was later renamed Atlas III.

After the first launch it was carried out extra work on certification of the engine for the purpose of its use on the universal rocket module of the main stage of the Atlas-5 rocket. The RD-180, which was used on the test bed, was shown at the 23rd G8 meeting (June 1997, Denver, USA). The engine consists of two chambers, a turbopump unit, a fuel booster pump unit, an oxidizer booster pump unit, a gas generator, an automation control unit, a cylinder unit, an automation drive system, a steering drive system, a fuel flow regulator in the gas generator, an oxidizer throttle, a fuel throttle, a starting oxidizer and fuel shut-off valves, two ampoules with starting fuel, a starting tank, an engine frame, a bottom screen, emergency protection system sensors, a heat exchanger for heating helium to pressurize the oxidizer tank.

Today, all engine production is concentrated in Russia. The sale was carried out by a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and NPO Energomash, called RD AMROSS JV. The acquisition and installation were carried out by United Launch Alliance. Since May 2014, the conclusion of new contracts has been temporarily stopped by a court order in connection with a claim by a competitor, SpaceX; deliveries of engines under old contracts continue.

RD-180 engine on a test bench at the Marshall Space Center (USA) / Photo: / ru.wikipedia.org

Tactical and technical indicators

Type	liquid rocket engine
Fuel	kerosene
Oxidant	liquid oxygen
Combustion chambers	2
Application	"Atlas III and Atlas V" (first stage)
Development	RD-181
Weight and dimensions characteristics
Total weight, kg	5 950
Dry weight, kg	5 480
Height, mm	3 600
Diameter, mm	3 200
Performance characteristics
Traction, tf:	vacuum: 423.4

Russian RD-180 rocket engines have been a bone of contention between the two United Launch Alliance (ULA) and rival Orbital Sciences. The first does not allow the second to purchase engines for its Antares rockets.

Clash of the Titans

The reason for this was the participation of Orbital Sciences in government tenders. ULA is illegally preventing competitors from purchasing RD-180 engines from the two companies. This is the contractor of RD Amross - SPNPO Energomash - and the American intermediary Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. The first produces the required RD-180 liquid-propellant rocket engine. The other one supplies components to the United States.

The only one liquid engine The RD-180 is optimally suited to the tenders announced by the American government. According to experts, the characteristics of these components are ideal for heavy launch vehicles and the needs of NASA.

What is the RD-180 rocket engine?

RD-180 is a two-chamber derivative of the four-chamber RD-170 used on Zenit. Closed-cycle liquid rocket engines RD-180 with afterburning contain high performance, convenience and reusability of the RD-170 in dimensions to meet the requirements of the engines for the Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle.

RD-180 - hydraulic motor for actuating the control valve and deflection thrust vector in the gimbal, with pneumatics for actuating the valve and purge system: the thrust frame for load distribution is self-sufficient as part of the engine. The motor at the start uses LOX lead, with afterburning of generator gas and LOX rich gas turbine drive. Thus, established a 10 percent increase in productivity compared to the operational acceleration of US engines and assuming a clean, reusable operation.
Only in the main assembly, the turbo pump and booster pump required development to the scale of the RD-120 and RD-170. All other components were taken directly from the RD-170.

The RD-180 was developed in 42 months at a fraction of the cost of a typical US new engine design. The motor runs on an intermediate Atlas III and a standard Atlas V launch vehicle.

RD-180 is equipped with two pairs of combustion chambers and nozzles. The engine is developed and produced by the Russian research and production association Energomash. Kerosene is used as fuel and liquid oxygen is the oxidizing agent. The cost of the RD-180 rocket engine in 2010 was $9 million.

Description of design

1. LOX/Kerosene
2. Two thrust chambers (gimbals +8 degrees).
3. One oxygen-rich block in front of the burner.
4. TNA high pressure assembly.
5. Two stage fuel pump.
6. Single stage oxygen pump.
7. Single turbine.
8. Self-igniting ignition.
9. Autonomous (valves, TVC) powered by kerosene from the fuel pump.
10. Health monitoring and life forecasting system.
11. Automated flight preparation (once installed on the vehicle, all operations are automated through launch).
12. Minimizing the interface from the launch pad and vehicles(pneumatic and hydraulic systems, self-contained, electrically integrated panels, thrust frame for simplified mechanical interface).
13. Environmentally friendly operations with enriched oxidizer triggering preburner ignition, as well as oxidizer startup and shutdown modes that eliminate coked and unburned potentially contaminated kerosene.
14. 50-100% continuous throttling, subject to potential real-time testing of trajectory and motor matching on site before committing.
15. 80% RD-170 parts.
16. Pressure chamber: 256.6 bar.
17. Area ratio: 36.4.
18. Thrust-to-weight ratio: 77.26.
19. Oxidizer-fuel ratio: 2.72.

Engine RD-180. Characteristics

• Specific gravity: 5,480 kg (12,080 lb).
• Height: 3.6 m (11.67 ft).
• Diameter: 3.2 m (10.33 ft).
• Specific impulse: 337.8 s.
• at sea level: 311.3 s.
• Recording time: 270 s.
• First launch: 2000

Story

In November 1996 in production association Energomash conducted the first test of the RD-180. The engine was recognized as the winner in the tenders for installation in the Atlas launch vehicle of the American Corporation. This was necessary for the launch of promising manned spacecraft. It was from then on that RD-180 engines became the most popular.

The engine is reusable. Thoughtful management provided NPO Energomash with almost legendary reliable transactions with the United States. In December 2012, a contract was delivered providing the company with a guarantee for the production of engines until 2019. All production is concentrated in Russia.

Creation of a replacement for the RD-180 in the USA

The Ukrainian events led to sanctions limiting the ability of the United States to use Russian rocket engines. The RD-180 must be replaced with an American-made analogue. In December 2014, the House adopted an amendment. It prohibited the use of Russian RD-180s. The engine will continue to be purchased under the existing supply agreement until 2019 between Energomash and ULA.

Despite the continuation of cooperation and deliveries of the RD-180 under existing agreements, the US Secretary of Defense ordered the termination of cooperation with Russia and the transition to American components. America is obliged to get rid of Russian dependence in the military-political spheres.

To this, Frank Kendall (Secretary of Defense for Procurement) responded that the Pentagon has nothing to replace the Russian RD-180 engines with. As an alternative to the current situation, America announced a tender for the production of its own engines with similar characteristics on its territory.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said he was ready to stop the supply of RD-180 and K-33 rocket engines to America.

How much does the RD-180 rocket engine cost for the USA?

Let's talk about prices. SpaceNews reported that the RD-180 engine needs to be replaced. In the US, such a whim will cost $1.5 billion. Not a small amount.

How much does the RD-180 engine cost? The entire project to implement the prototype will last at least six years. According to experts, the United States does not have the opportunity to completely abandon the use of RD-180 engines. It is impossible to solve the problem that has arisen in a short time, since the motors will only be ready in 2022.
Despite assurances from the US Air Force that RD-180s are in stock in the required quantities, there is still a shortage. Therefore, many launches will need to be postponed. Spending in this area could increase to $5 billion.
While the United States is competing and applying sanctions, China is already in line to produce the RD-180.

Perspective

The Pentagon has awarded at least $162 million to Aerojet Rocketdyne and the United Launch Alliance to work on the development of the AR1 and BE-4 rocket engines, candidates to replace the Russian-made engine that currently powers the Atlas V rocket.

The US Air Force is completing its initial investment in new rocket engines as the military seeks to move away from its reliance on Russian engine The RD-180 used on the Atlas V, which launches most of the US government's satellites for secure communications, navigation and intelligence gathering systems.
The Air Force is part of a public-private partnership with Aerojet Rocketdyne and ULA, providing corporate funds to co-finance engine development.

ULA's President and CEO continue to meet to achieve the goal of providing the United States with the most reliable launch systems at the most affordable price, while developing a new engine that will introduce completely new capabilities for the use of outer space.

The agreement with Aerojet Rocketdyne covers the development and testing of the AR1 rocket engine. This power unit, which burns a kerosene mixture and liquid oxygen. These are the same propellant components found in the RD-180 engine for the Atlas V.

Aerojet Rocketdyne aims to have the engine certified airworthy by 2019, but first launch is not expected until 2020.
The Air Force is committing a minimum of $115.3 million to the AR1 development program, while Aerojet Rocketdyne and ULA are jointly investing $57.7 million, Aerojet Rocketdyne said in a statement.

Prior to testing, the government's decision to continue supporting the AR1 engine program has a maximum value of $804 million - with $536 million from the Air Force and $236 million from Aerojet Rocketdyne and ULA.

“The AR1 will return the United States to the forefront of kerosene nuclear rocket engine production,” Drake said in a press release. “We are introducing the latest advances in modern manufacturing while leveraging our wealth of knowledge in producing the next generation of rocket engines to deliver engines that will end our dependence on a foreign supplier to launch our nation's national security assets.”

The AR1 engine will include 3D printed parts and run on enriched oxygen with afterburning generator gas. This is a more efficient engine cycle than other liquid hydrocarbons currently used in US rocket engines.

The BE-4 engine is a major focus for the Air Force. Cash injections are allocated for its implementation. The Air Force is committing to pay at least $46.6 million to the United Launch Alliance for the next generation of the Vulcan rocket. ULA also agreed to add $40.8 million under the terms of the government award.

The lion's share of the initial funding - $45,800,000 - will go towards developing the BE-4 engine, which will generate 550,000 pounds of thrust and consume a cryogenic combination of liquefied fuel. natural gas and liquid oxygen.

Two BE-4 engines will boost the first stage of the Vulcan rocket. Officials say BE-4 is entirely funded by the company with help from the United Launch Alliance. The Air Force funding will support the company's progress integrating the BE-4 engine with the Vulcan launch vehicle.

Aerojet Rocketdyne touts the AR1 as the most... simple replacement for the RD-180 due to its powder mixture and size. Two AR1 engines are needed to meet the performance of the Atlas V's single twin-nozzle RD-180 engine.

ULA executives say the BE-4 engine from Blue Origin, the entrepreneurial space firm founded by Amazon.com, will be ready faster and ultimately be easier to refurbish for reuse.

While the RD-180 engine had the advantage of more than 60 successful launches, the time had come for American investment in domestic production of similar engines.

The BE-4 is scheduled to complete its certification in 2017, and ULA is targeting the first flight of the Vulcan rocket by the end of 2019.

The Air Force also funds construction in space for astronaut habitat for deep space exploration and satellite services.

ULA continues to work with both Blue Origin and Aerojet Rocketdyne. It accompanies two options for the next generation of American engines, which is why the company is teaming up with two of the world's leading space companies.

ULA keeps the AR1 engine from Aerojet Rocketdyne as a backup option. The final selection is expected at the end of 2016.

The Air Force's financial commitments to Aerojet Rocketdyne and ULA opened on February 29, 2016, following similar agreements with SpaceX and Orbital ATK.
A new solid rocket booster project made by Orbital ATK for ULA's Vulcan rocket and for its own launcher will also receive Orbital ATK funding.

Shadow in space from earthly “clouds”

Russian RD-180 engines have no alternative in the States. Aerojet Rocketdyne Vice President Jim Meiser believes that the United States is not paying enough attention to the development of its own oxygen-kerosene prototypes.

He said America is definitely behind the Russians and Chinese in creating such propulsion systems. He also mentioned that the United States has already developed an oxygen-kerosene engine, which is in operation Merlin 1D. It is produced by SpaceX. Only, in terms of its characteristics, it does not reach the RD-180.

Of course, this is complete nonsense, because terrestrial clouds cannot cast any shadow into space. But in a political sense, alas, they are discarding it.

USA: industrialists are calm, politicians are worried

A senior U.S. Air Force official said he would stop launching national security satellites aboard United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket if the Treasury Department believes importing a Russian engine does not violate U.S. sanctions.

Earlier, Senator John McCain asked the Air Force to prove that Russia's recent reorganization of its rocket and space industry does not make the purchase of RD-180 engines a violation of US sanctions that were imposed against Russian officials in 2014.

US government agencies, led by the Department of the Treasury, are taking a fresh look at the delivery of the RD-180. And they are ready not to adhere to sanctions. Grounding the Atlas V would create a bigger obstacle for the Pentagon than fighting.

McCain held a military spaceport hearing where he called on the Air Force to obtain a fresh legal opinion that imports of the RD-18O violated U.S. sanctions imposed on Russian officials in the wake of Ukraine's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

McCain singled out two senior Russian officials: Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and Sergei Chemezov, an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Until recently, they were observers in the space sector. Although they do not benefit financially from the sales of the RD-180, they were subject to sanctions.

On December 28, by order of Putin, the Russian space sector will be reorganized. This restructuring brings adjustments to the Russian space industry and the space agency Roscosmos under a new state corporation, also called Roscosmos.

McCain noted that this organization is currently headed by Rogozin; Chemezov also has something to do with this. Rogozin and Chemezov were among the first Russian officials to receive sanctions during the Ukrainian crisis. Neither can enter the United States. The assets they own were frozen.