The first prototype methane engine for the new reusable launch vehicle Amur-LNG will be manufactured and tested by November 2025, according to materials posted on the state procurement website.
The State Corporation "Roscosmos" signed a contract with the Chemical Automation Design Bureau in the amount of 6.3 billion rubles in March 2020. According to the deal, the contractor is required to manufacture and test eight experimental RD-0169 oxygen-methane engines. The company decided to create the first one by November 2023, three more — by November 2024 and four — by November 2025.
The updated deadline for the completion of production and testing of all eight prototype engines was November 2025.
On January 17, it became known that the Russian reusable rocket engine, which is being created for the new Amur-LNG launch vehicle, will run on methane, and will also be able to fly up to 50 times.
The two-stage medium-class rocket "Amur-LNG", the first launch of which from the Vostochny cosmodrome was scheduled for 2026, will have a reusable (up to 10 times) returnable first stage, equipped with RD-0169 engines that run on oxygen and liquefied natural gas-methane.
It is planned that it will replace the currently operating Soyuz-2 missiles.
In October last year, it was noted that the Progress rocket and space Center started work on the preliminary design of the Russian reusable Amur rocket.
