RD-861

Last updated
RD-861 (РД-861)
Country of origin Soviet Union
First flightOctober 27, 1967
Designer Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
Manufacturer Yuzhmash
ApplicationUpper stage
Associated LV Tsyklon-3
Predecessor RD-854
Successor RD-861K
StatusOut of production
Liquid-fuel engine
PropellantN2O4 / UDMH
Mixture ratio2.1
Cycle Gas generator
Configuration
Chamber1 + 4
Nozzle ratio112.4 (main)
Performance
Thrust, vacuum78.71 kN (17,690 lbf)
Chamber pressure 8.88 MPa (1,288 psi)
Specific impulse, vacuum317 seconds
Burn timeUp to 130s
Restarts1
Dimensions
Length1.56 m (5 ft 1 in)
Diameter1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)
Dry weight123 kg (271 lb)
Used in
Tsyklon-2 and Tsyklon-3 third stage
References
References [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

The RD-861 is a Soviet liquid propellant rocket engine burning UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide in a gas generator combustion cycle. It has a main combustion chamber, with four vernier nozzles fed by the gas generator output. [2] It can be reignited a single time. [4]

Contents

History

When the Soviet military developed the Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, Yangel's OKB-586 proposed a new version of their R-36 ICBM, called the R-36-ORB (GRAU Index: 8K69). It incorporated an orbital warhead called OGCh (GRAU Index: 8F021), for which the RD-854 engine was developed in-house. Since the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 banned nuclear weapons in Earth orbit, but did not ban the launch systems, the Soviet Union proceeded to test their FOBS albeit without placing nuclear warheads in orbit. [6] [7]

Versions

There are three versions of this engine:

See also

Related Research Articles

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A Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) is a warhead delivery system that uses a low Earth orbit towards its target destination. Just before reaching the target, it deorbits through a retrograde engine burn.

The Global Rocket 1 was a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed but not deployed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The system also was given the NATO reporting name SS-X-10 Scrag, and carried a Soviet GRAU index of 8K713 (8К713).

The UR-200 was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by Vladimir Chelomey's OKB-52 in the Soviet Union. It was known during the Cold War by the NATO reporting name SS-10 Scrag and internally by the GRAU index 8K81. The design was authorized by the Decisions of the Central Committee of the CPSU of March 16 and August 1, 1961, and the draft project was finished in July 1962. It first flew on November 4, 1963, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The ninth and final flight was conducted on October 20, 1964.

The RD-8 is a Soviet / Ukrainian liquid propellant rocket engine burning LOX and RG-1 in an oxidizer rich staged combustion cycle. It has a four combustion chambers that provide thrust vector control by gimbaling each of the nozzles in a single axis ±33°. It was designed in Dnipropetrovsk by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau as the vernier thruster of the Zenit second stage. As such, it has always been paired with the RD-120 engine for main propulsion.

The RD-120 is a liquid upper stage rocket engine burning RG-1 and LOX in an oxidizer rich staged combustion cycle with an O/F ratio of 2.6. It is used in the second stage of the Zenit family of launch vehicles. It has a single, fixed combustion chamber and thus on the Zenit it is paired with the RD-8 vernier engine. The engine was developed from 1976 to 1985 by NPO Energomash with V.P. Radovsky leading the development. It is manufactured by, among others, Yuzhmash in Ukraine.

The RD-843 is a Ukrainian single nozzle liquid propellant rocket engine burning pressure-fed UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide. It is rated for up to 5 restarts, and can gimbal up to 10 degrees in each direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RD-0110</span> Soviet (later Russian) rocket engine

The RD-0110 is a rocket engine burning liquid oxygen and kerosene in a gas generator combustion cycle. It has four fixed nozzles and the output of the gas generator is directed to four secondary vernier nozzles to supply vector control of the stage. It has an extensive flight history with its initial versions having flown more than 57 years ago.

The RD-0214 (GRAU Index: 8D811) is a rocket vernier engine burning N2O4 and UDMH in a gas generator cycle. It has four nozzles that can each gimbal 45 in plane to provide TVC to the RD-0212 propulsion module of Proton third stage. It is a revised version of the RD-0207.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RD-0210</span>

The RD-0210 (GRAU Index: 8D411K) is also known as the RD-465. It and its twin, the RD-0211, are rocket engines burning N2O4 and UDMH in an oxidizer rich staged combustion cycle. They have single nozzle, possess TVC and are the latest evolution in the RD-0203/4 lineage. They are the engines used on the Proton second stage. The RD-0213 is a fixed nozzle variation that is used on the RD-0212 module of the Proton third stage.

The RD-263 (GRAU Index 15D117) is a liquid rocket engine, burning N2O4 and UDMH in the oxidizer rich staged combustion cycle. Four RD-263 engines form a propulsion module RD-264 (GRAU Index 15D119). For the R-36M KB Yuzhnoye only ordered the first stage propulsion to Energomash, instead of both stages, arguing that they were overworked with the RD-270 development. By April 1970 Yuzhnoye was getting the engine documentation. By the end of 1972 Energomash started to test fire the engines in its own test stand. And by September 1973 the engine was certified for flight. While the engine is out of production, the ICBM as well as the Dnepr remain operational as of 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RD-119</span>

The RD-119 was a liquid rocket engine, burning liquid oxygen and UDMH in the gas-generator cycle. It has a huge expansion ratio on the nozzle and uses a unique propellant combination to achieve an extremely high isp of 352 s for a semi-cryogenic gas-generator engine. It also has a unique steering mechanism. The engine main nozzle is fixed, and the output of the gas generator is fed into four nozzles on the side of the engine. Instead of using gimbaled verniers to supply vector control, the combustion gases are distributed by an electrically driven system that can control the thrust among the nozzles.

The RD-810 (РД-810) is a Ukrainian liquid propellant rocket engine burning LOX and Kerosene (RG-1) in a staged combustion cycle. It has a single combustion chamber that provides thrust vector control by gimbaling of the nozzle in two axis by +/- 8°. It is being designed in Ukraine by Yuzhnoye Design Bureau for the prospective first stage propulsion of the Mayak rocket family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RD-250</span> Rocket engine

The RD-250 (GRAU Index 8D518) is the base version of a dual-nozzle family of liquid rocket engines, burning N2O4 and UDMH in the gas-generator open cycle. The RD-250 was developed by OKB-456 for Yangel's PA Yuzhmash ICBM, the R-36 (8K67). Its variations were also used on the Tsyklon-2 and Tsyklon-3 launch vehicles. It was supposed to be used on the Tsyklon-4, but since the cancellation of the project it should be considered as out of production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RD-215</span> Rocket engine

The RD-215 (GRAU Index 8D513) was a dual nozzle liquid rocket engine, burning AK-27 (a mixture of 73% nitric acid and 27% N2O4 + iodine passivant) and UDMH. It was used in a module of two engines (four nozzles) known as the RD-216 (GRAU Index 8D514). The RD-215 was developed by OKB-456 for Yangel's Yuzhmash R-14 (8K65) ballistic missile. Its variations were also used on the Kosmos-1, Kosmos-3 and Kosmos-3M launch vehicles.

The RD-855 (GRAU Index 8D68M]), also known as the RD-68M, is a liquid-fueled rocket engine with four nozzles. As a vernier engine, it provides fine steering adjustments for rockets. It is powered by a combination of N2O4, an oxidizer, and UDMH, a propellant. This combination is hypergolic, meaning the two substances ignite on contact, eliminating the need for an external ignition source.

The RD-856 (GRAU Index 8D69M), also known as the RD-69M, is a four-nozzle liquid-fuel rocket vernier engine, burning N2O4 and UDMH in a gas generator cycle. It was used on the R-36, Tsyklon-2 and Tsyklon-3 second stage as thrust vector control by gimbaling of its nozzle. The engine is distributed through a cylindrical structure that is integrated around the main engine RD-252 module. The structure includes aerodynamic protection for the nozzles. The engine was started by a pyrotechnic ignitor.

The RD-0255 is a propulsion module composed of an RD-0256 main engine and a RD-0257 vernier engine. Both are liquid rocket engine, burning UDMH in N2O4. The RD-0256 main engine operates in the oxidizer rich staged combustion cycle, while the vernier RD-0257 uses the simpler gas generator cycle. It was used on the R-36MUTTKh (GRAU:15A18) and R-36M2 (GRAU:15A18M). Subsequently, it has been in the Dnepr second stage and as of 2016 it is still in active service.

The RD-864 is a Soviet liquid propellant rocket engine burning UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide in a gas generator combustion cycle. It has a four combustion chambers that provide thrust vector control by gimbaling each nozzle in a single axis ±55°. It is used on the third stage of the R-36M UTTKh and Dnepr. For the R-36M2, an improved version, the RD-869 was developed.

The RD-801 is a Ukrainian liquid propellant rocket engine burning LOX and Kerosene (RG-1) in a staged combustion cycle. It has a single combustion chamber that provides thrust vector control by gimbaling of the nozzle in two axis by +/- 6°. It is being designed in Ukraine by Yuzhnoye Design Bureau for the prospective first stage propulsion of the Mayak rocket family.

References

  1. 1 2 "RD-854". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on October 28, 2002. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  2. 1 2 "RD-861". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on June 26, 2002. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  3. 1 2 "RD-861K". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  4. 1 2 3 Pillet, Nicolas. "Tsiklone - Le troisième étage" [Tsyklon - The third stage] (in French). Kosmonavtika.com. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  5. "RD-861K". Defense Industry Of Ukraine Products And Services. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016.
  6. "R-36-O". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on March 5, 2002. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  7. Pillet, Nicolas. "Histoire du lanceur Tsiklone" [History of the Tsyklon launcher] (in French). Kosmonavtika.com. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  8. Pillet, Nicolas. "Les satellites OGTch" [The OGTch satellites] (in French). Kosmonavtika.com. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  9. "RD-861K". Yuzhnoye. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015.
  10. "Liquid rocket engine RD-861K". Yuzhmash. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012.