Angara rocket
Encyclopedia
The Angara rocket family is a family of space-launch vehicles
currently under development by the Moscow
-based Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The rockets, which are to provide lifting capabilities between 2,000 and 40,500 kg into low earth orbit, are intended to become the mainstay of the Russian unmanned launcher fleet in the future and replace several existing systems.
, located in the independent republic of Kazakhstan
, and will allow Russia to phase out foreign - mostly Ukrainian
- rocket technology. Environmental issues have also played an important part in the development.
Rockets belonging to the family are intended to replace several existing launch vehicles. The light Angara 1.1 and 1.2 versions will replace the Kosmos-3M, Tsyklon
and Rockot
launchers; Angara 3 will replace the Ukrainian Zenit and Angara 5 will replace the heavy-lift Proton. The Angara 5 version is expected to be most in demand, since this is the main version required by the Russian Ministry of Defence
.
Khrunichev has also been developing a super-heavy-lift version (Angara 7), which is capable of orbiting payload of between 45 and 75 tons, and for which there is no equivalent in Russia's current rocket fleet. However, currently the development of Angara 7 is not receiving government funding. In addition, Khrunichev has offered to build a version capable of launching manned spacecraft: Angara 5P.
The Angara rockets have a modular design similar to the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
, based on a common Universal Rocket Module (URM). Depending on configuration, the first stage can consist of 1, 3, 5 or 7 such modules. Unlike EELV launchers, Angara will not employ solid rocket boosters (SRB).
The URM is a unitary structure that includes an oxidizer tank, a fuel tank (both tanks being coupled by a spacer) and a propulsion bay. Each URM will have one single-chamber RD-191
engine, using liquid oxygen
and RP-1
as fuel. The RD-191 design is based on the RD-170 four-chamber engine used by the Energia
launcher, as well as on the RD-171, which is currently used by the Zenit rocket.
The second stage will be either a Briz-KM (Angara 1.1) or Block I (also called URM-2), which is powered by the RD-0124
A engine developed by the KB Khimavtomatika. Angara 5 will use either the Briz-M
upper stage (currently used for the Proton-M
rocket), or KVRB. Most versions are intended for unmanned launches, but Angara A5P and Angara A7P are being designed to be capable of launching manned spacecraft.
A single launch pad can be used for launching all Angara versions except Angara A7.
, and the currently under construction Vostochny Cosmodrome
, both in Russia. Russia hopes to reduce its dependency on Kazakhstan for the use of the Baikonur Cosmodrome
, the location from which many of the current generation of Russian rockets are launched. Under the Baiterek program with Kazakhstan, commercial launches of Angara A5 may also take place from Baikonur Cosmodrome. In 2009, it was reported that a shortage of funds for construction of the Plesetsk launch pad was the main obstacle in Angara's development.
in Omsk
. In 2009, Polyot invested over 771.4 million RUB (about $25 million) in Angara production lines. Design and testing of the RD-191 engine is done by NPO Energomash
, while its mass production will take place at the company Proton-PM in Perm
.
All Angara versions will be marketed for commercial launches, with the price for an Angara 1.1 launch estimated to be about $20 million.
The Angara 1.1 version is expected to be completed first; its first launch is scheduled to take place in 2013 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
.
The vehicle made its maiden flight on 25 August 2009. The flight was not successful since the payload fairing on the Korean-built second stage failed to separate; however, according to Khrunichev, the first stage performed flawlessly.
A second launch on 10 June 2010 ended in failure, when contact with the rocket was lost. The Joint Failure Review Board failed to come to a consensus on the cause of the failure. A new team consisting of 30 neutral experts is being formed to investigate the cause of the failure.
Together with NPO Molniya
, Khrunichev is also developing the reusable Baikal
launch vehicle, based on Angara's URM. The vehicle consists of one URM fitted with a wing, an empennage, a landing gear, a return flight engine and attitude control thrusters, to enable the rocket to return to an airfield after completing its mission.
On December 12, 2007 Krunichev announced that at NPO Energomash
, engineers had successfully tested flight hydraulics and steering actuators for the first stage under near-flight conditions.
In cooperation with Salyut Design Bureau, Khrunichev designed a reusable flyback Baikal booster rocket, to serve as a first stage in the Angara family.
On April 14, 2008, Rian news agency reported that the Flight tests of a new-generation Russian space launch vehicle will start in 2010, the director of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center said on Monday.
On September 5, 2008, the creator of the RD-191
engine, NPO Energomash, reported that the engine has completed full cycle of development and burn tests and is ready for manufacturing and delivery.
On January 10, 2009, the first completed URM was delivered to the proving grounds. Cold and burn tests were planned to be performed in the first half of 2009.
On April 29, 2009 the first series of cold tests has been performed. The URM was filled with nearly 100 tonnes of liquefied oxygen to check functioning of hydraulic and pneumatic pumping systems.
On June 18, 2009, both fuel components were used for tests.
On July 30, 2009, the burn tests of the first URM equipped with RD-151 engine were performed.
On August 25, 2009 South Korea launched its Naro-1 rocket, with URM/RD-151 making up the first stage. With height of 30 m and weight of 140 tonnes Naro-1 is similar to Angara 1.1 configuration. The launch marked the first flight test of the URM, which successfully propelled the rocket to altitude of 196 km, where the first stage separated. However, the fairing on the Korean-built second stage failed to separate, and the satellite did not reach the correct orbit.
On December 5, 2009 Roscosmos announced the completion of engine trials, but that the first test flight of the Angara would be postponed from 2011 to 2012 due to lack of funding. The Khrunichev center has asked the government to allocate an additional 10 billion rubles (about $290 million) over the next three years to finish the development of the rocket.
On January 13, 2010 Vladimir Nesterov
, Director-General of Khrunichev, announced that his company had received the required funding, and the first flight test of Angara is now scheduled for 2013. All program tasks in 2010 were completed successfully.
Launch vehicle
In spaceflight, a launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket used to carry a payload from the Earth's surface into outer space. A launch system includes the launch vehicle, the launch pad and other infrastructure....
currently under development by the Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
-based Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The rockets, which are to provide lifting capabilities between 2,000 and 40,500 kg into low earth orbit, are intended to become the mainstay of the Russian unmanned launcher fleet in the future and replace several existing systems.
Purpose
The main purpose of the Angara rocket family is to secure Russia's independent access to space. Angara will reduce Russia's dependency on the Baikonur CosmodromeBaikonur Cosmodrome
The Baikonur Cosmodrome , also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, about east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 meters above sea level...
, located in the independent republic of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, and will allow Russia to phase out foreign - mostly Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
- rocket technology. Environmental issues have also played an important part in the development.
Rockets belonging to the family are intended to replace several existing launch vehicles. The light Angara 1.1 and 1.2 versions will replace the Kosmos-3M, Tsyklon
Tsyklon
The Tsyklon , GRAU index 11K67, was a Soviet/Ukrainian-designed expendable launch system, primarily used to put Cosmos satellites into low Earth orbit. It is based on the R-36 intercontinental ballistic missile designed by Mikhail Yangel and made eight launches, with seven successes, and one failure...
and Rockot
Rockot
The Rokot , also transliterated as a the pun Rockot, is a Russian space launch vehicle that can launch a payload of 1,950 kilograms into a 200 kilometre high Earth orbit with 63° inclination. It is a derivative of the UR-100N intercontinental ballistic missile , supplied and operated by Eurockot...
launchers; Angara 3 will replace the Ukrainian Zenit and Angara 5 will replace the heavy-lift Proton. The Angara 5 version is expected to be most in demand, since this is the main version required by the Russian Ministry of Defence
Russian Ministry of Defence
The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation exercises operational leadership of the armed forces of Russia.The Russian Minister of Defence is the nominal commander of all the armed forces, serving under the president of the Russian Federation, in whom executive authority over the military is...
.
Khrunichev has also been developing a super-heavy-lift version (Angara 7), which is capable of orbiting payload of between 45 and 75 tons, and for which there is no equivalent in Russia's current rocket fleet. However, currently the development of Angara 7 is not receiving government funding. In addition, Khrunichev has offered to build a version capable of launching manned spacecraft: Angara 5P.
Design
EELV
Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system program of the United States Air Force , intended to assure access to space for Department of Defense and other United States government payloads...
, based on a common Universal Rocket Module (URM). Depending on configuration, the first stage can consist of 1, 3, 5 or 7 such modules. Unlike EELV launchers, Angara will not employ solid rocket boosters (SRB).
The URM is a unitary structure that includes an oxidizer tank, a fuel tank (both tanks being coupled by a spacer) and a propulsion bay. Each URM will have one single-chamber RD-191
RD-191
The RD-191 is a high performance single-combustion chamber rocket engine, developed in Russia. It is derived from the RD-170 originally used in the Energia launcher....
engine, using liquid oxygen
Liquid oxygen
Liquid oxygen — abbreviated LOx, LOX or Lox in the aerospace, submarine and gas industries — is one of the physical forms of elemental oxygen.-Physical properties:...
and RP-1
RP-1
RP-1 is a highly refined form of kerosene outwardly similar to jet fuel, used as a rocket fuel. Although having a lower specific impulse than liquid hydrogen , RP-1 is cheaper, can be stored at room temperature, is far less of an explosive hazard and is far denser...
as fuel. The RD-191 design is based on the RD-170 four-chamber engine used by the Energia
Energia
Energia was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. Control system main developer enterprise was the NPO "Electropribor"...
launcher, as well as on the RD-171, which is currently used by the Zenit rocket.
The second stage will be either a Briz-KM (Angara 1.1) or Block I (also called URM-2), which is powered by the RD-0124
RD-0124
The RD-0124 is a rocket engine burning liquid oxygen and kerosene in a staged combustion cycle. RD-0124 engines are used on the Soyuz-2.1b. A modification of the engine will also be used on the second stage of some rockets in the planned Angara rocket family...
A engine developed by the KB Khimavtomatika. Angara 5 will use either the Briz-M
Briz-M
The Briz-M , is a Russian orbit insertion upper stage manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and used on the Proton-M rocket.- Characteristics :...
upper stage (currently used for the Proton-M
Proton-M
The Proton-M, GRAU index 8K82M or 8K82KM, is a Russian carrier rocket derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services , and generally...
rocket), or KVRB. Most versions are intended for unmanned launches, but Angara A5P and Angara A7P are being designed to be capable of launching manned spacecraft.
A single launch pad can be used for launching all Angara versions except Angara A7.
Launch facilities
The rockets will be launched from the Plesetsk CosmodromePlesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:...
, and the currently under construction Vostochny Cosmodrome
Vostochny Cosmodrome
The Vostochny Cosmodrome is a planned Russian spaceport, to be located at 51 degrees north in the Amur Oblast, in the Russian Far East. It is intended to reduce Russia's dependency on the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which is located in Kazakhstan...
, both in Russia. Russia hopes to reduce its dependency on Kazakhstan for the use of the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Baikonur Cosmodrome
The Baikonur Cosmodrome , also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, about east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 meters above sea level...
, the location from which many of the current generation of Russian rockets are launched. Under the Baiterek program with Kazakhstan, commercial launches of Angara A5 may also take place from Baikonur Cosmodrome. In 2009, it was reported that a shortage of funds for construction of the Plesetsk launch pad was the main obstacle in Angara's development.
Production and marketing
The serial production of the Universal Rocket Modules and the Briz-M upper stages will take place at the Khrunichev subsidiary Production Corporation PolyotProduction Corporation Polyot
Production Association Polyot is a Russian aerospace engineering company best known for being the manufacturer of GLONASS satellites and the Kosmos-3M space launch vehicle...
in Omsk
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
. In 2009, Polyot invested over 771.4 million RUB (about $25 million) in Angara production lines. Design and testing of the RD-191 engine is done by NPO Energomash
NPO Energomash
NPO Energomash “V. P. Glushko” is a Russian manufacturer originated from design bureau, which focuses primarily on the development and production of liquid propellant rocket engines. NPO Energomash is based in Moscow, with satellite facilities in Samara, Perm, and St. Petersburg, and employs close...
, while its mass production will take place at the company Proton-PM in Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
.
All Angara versions will be marketed for commercial launches, with the price for an Angara 1.1 launch estimated to be about $20 million.
The Angara 1.1 version is expected to be completed first; its first launch is scheduled to take place in 2013 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:...
.
Derivative projects
The South Korean launch vehicle Naro-1 uses Angara's URM (fitted with a lower-thrust version of the RD-191 engine called RD-151) as its first stage.The vehicle made its maiden flight on 25 August 2009. The flight was not successful since the payload fairing on the Korean-built second stage failed to separate; however, according to Khrunichev, the first stage performed flawlessly.
A second launch on 10 June 2010 ended in failure, when contact with the rocket was lost. The Joint Failure Review Board failed to come to a consensus on the cause of the failure. A new team consisting of 30 neutral experts is being formed to investigate the cause of the failure.
Together with NPO Molniya
NPO Molniya
NPO Molniya is a Russian scientific and production enterprise, founded on February 26, 1976 prior to and for the creation of Shuttle Buran. At present, NPO Molniya carrying works on the reusable launch systems.- External links :*...
, Khrunichev is also developing the reusable Baikal
Baikal booster
The Baikal booster is a proposed reusable flyback booster for the Angara rocket family based on the Angara universal rocket module. It was designed by the Molniya Research and Industrial Corporation for the Khrunichev Space centre, reusing the flyback and control system for the reusable Buran...
launch vehicle, based on Angara's URM. The vehicle consists of one URM fitted with a wing, an empennage, a landing gear, a return flight engine and attitude control thrusters, to enable the rocket to return to an airfield after completing its mission.
Specifications
| Version | Angara 1.1 | Angara 1.2 | Angara A3 | Angara A5P | Angara A5 | Angara A5/KVRB | Angara A7P | Angara A7V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First stage | 1xURM, RD-191 RD-191 The RD-191 is a high performance single-combustion chamber rocket engine, developed in Russia. It is derived from the RD-170 originally used in the Energia launcher.... |
1xURM, RD-191 | 3xURM, RD-191 | 5xURM, RD-191 | 5xURM, RD-191 | 5xURM, RD-191 | 7xURM, RD-191 | 7xURM, RD-191 |
| Second stage | Breeze-KM | Block I, RD-0124A RD-0124 The RD-0124 is a rocket engine burning liquid oxygen and kerosene in a staged combustion cycle. RD-0124 engines are used on the Soyuz-2.1b. A modification of the engine will also be used on the second stage of some rockets in the planned Angara rocket family... |
Block I, RD-0124A | -- | Block I, RD-0124A | Block I, RD-0124A | -- | -- |
| Third stage (not used for LEO Low Earth orbit A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km... ) |
-- | –- | Briz-M Briz-M The Briz-M , is a Russian orbit insertion upper stage manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and used on the Proton-M rocket.- Characteristics :... /KVSK |
-- | Briz-M/KVTK | KVRB | KVTK-A7 | KVTK-A7 |
| Thrust (at ground) | 196 Mgf (1.92 MN) | 196 Mgf (1.92 MN) | 588 Mgf (5.77 MN) | 980 Mgf (9.61 MN) | 980 Mgf (9.61 MN) | 980 Mgf (9.61 MN) | 1,372 Mgf (13.44 MN) | 1,372 Mgf (13.44 MN) |
| Launch weight | 149 t | 171.5 t | 478 t | 713 t | 759 t | 776 t | 1,125 t | 1,184 t |
| Height (maximal) | 34.9 m | 41.5 m | 45.8 m | ? | 55.4 m | 64 m | ? | ? |
| Payload (LEO Low Earth orbit A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km... 200 km) |
2.0 t | 3.7 t | 14.6 t | 18.0 t | 24.5 t | 28.5 t | 36.0 t | 40.5 t |
| Payload (GTO Geostationary transfer orbit A geosynchronous transfer orbit or geostationary transfer orbit is a Hohmann transfer orbit used to reach geosynchronous or geostationary orbit.... ) |
-- | -- | 2.4/3.7 t | -- | 5.4/7.3 t | ? | ? | -- |
| Payload (GEO Geostationary orbit A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers... ) |
–- | –- | 1.0/2.0 t | -- | 2.9/4.5 t | 5.7 t | 7.5 t | 9 t |
Development history
On August 26, 1995 the government of Russia adopted a resolution to develop the Angara launcher system.On December 12, 2007 Krunichev announced that at NPO Energomash
NPO Energomash
NPO Energomash “V. P. Glushko” is a Russian manufacturer originated from design bureau, which focuses primarily on the development and production of liquid propellant rocket engines. NPO Energomash is based in Moscow, with satellite facilities in Samara, Perm, and St. Petersburg, and employs close...
, engineers had successfully tested flight hydraulics and steering actuators for the first stage under near-flight conditions.
In cooperation with Salyut Design Bureau, Khrunichev designed a reusable flyback Baikal booster rocket, to serve as a first stage in the Angara family.
On April 14, 2008, Rian news agency reported that the Flight tests of a new-generation Russian space launch vehicle will start in 2010, the director of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center said on Monday.
On September 5, 2008, the creator of the RD-191
RD-191
The RD-191 is a high performance single-combustion chamber rocket engine, developed in Russia. It is derived from the RD-170 originally used in the Energia launcher....
engine, NPO Energomash, reported that the engine has completed full cycle of development and burn tests and is ready for manufacturing and delivery.
On January 10, 2009, the first completed URM was delivered to the proving grounds. Cold and burn tests were planned to be performed in the first half of 2009.
On April 29, 2009 the first series of cold tests has been performed. The URM was filled with nearly 100 tonnes of liquefied oxygen to check functioning of hydraulic and pneumatic pumping systems.
On June 18, 2009, both fuel components were used for tests.
On July 30, 2009, the burn tests of the first URM equipped with RD-151 engine were performed.
On August 25, 2009 South Korea launched its Naro-1 rocket, with URM/RD-151 making up the first stage. With height of 30 m and weight of 140 tonnes Naro-1 is similar to Angara 1.1 configuration. The launch marked the first flight test of the URM, which successfully propelled the rocket to altitude of 196 km, where the first stage separated. However, the fairing on the Korean-built second stage failed to separate, and the satellite did not reach the correct orbit.
On December 5, 2009 Roscosmos announced the completion of engine trials, but that the first test flight of the Angara would be postponed from 2011 to 2012 due to lack of funding. The Khrunichev center has asked the government to allocate an additional 10 billion rubles (about $290 million) over the next three years to finish the development of the rocket.
On January 13, 2010 Vladimir Nesterov
Vladimir Nesterov
Vladimir Nesterov Cherepovets) is the general director of Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, one the world's leading space launch providers....
, Director-General of Khrunichev, announced that his company had received the required funding, and the first flight test of Angara is now scheduled for 2013. All program tasks in 2010 were completed successfully.
Comparable rockets
- Titan IIIC
- Ariane 5Ariane 5Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales...
- H-IIAH-IIAH-IIA is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency . The liquid-fueled H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and to launch an interplanetary...
- H-IIBH-IIBH-IIB is an expendable launch system used to launch H-II Transfer Vehicles towards the International Space Station. H-IIB rockets are liquid-fuelled with solid-fuel strap-on boosters and are launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan...
- Atlas VAtlas VAtlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance...
- Falcon 9Falcon 9Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants...
- Delta IVDelta IV rocketDelta IV is an active expendable launch system in the Delta rocket family. Delta IV uses rockets designed by Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems division and built in the United Launch Alliance facility in Decatur, Alabama. Final assembly is completed at the launch site by ULA...
- Long March 5
- GSLV Mk III
- Naro-1 - uses URM-1 from Angara as the first stage
- Rus-MRus-MRus-M was a proposed launcher design which was intended to become Russia's main launch vehicle for manned spaceflight after 2018, and an integral part of the Prospective Piloted Transport System which included a new manned spacecraft being developed to replace the Soyuz.Rus-M was being developed by...
- Proton
External links
- Angara family page by the Khrunichev Center (in Russian)
- Angara family, at Encyclopedia Astronautica
- Angara family, at RussianSpaceWeb