Deputy Director of the Progress RCC Subbotin: The first launch of the Amur-LNG rocket is expected in 2028-2030.
Two new space launch vehicles are being created today in Russia to replace the well-deserved developments of the Soviet era. What is unique about the Soyuz-5 and Amur-LNG rockets, what are the difficulties of implementing these projects, and why are they extremely important for the future of Russian cosmonautics?
Today, the most interesting and promising developments in the field of Russian rocket engineering are Soyuz–5 and Amur-LNG. The Soyuz-5 rocket is being created to replace the Zenit, unique for its time. And Amur-LNG is a project of a completely new rocket for Russia on the RD–0169 methane engine with a returnable first stage. The possibility of reusable use and a promising fuel pair using natural gas is a very serious bid for success. Models of these missiles could be seen in the Samara Region pavilion as part of the Russia-Africa forum taking place in St. Petersburg.
The Zenith Trail
The Zenit rocket can be called one of the main losses of Russian cosmonautics after the collapse of the USSR. This is a Soviet two-stage medium-class launch vehicle, surprisingly successful and promising for its time.
Among its advantages are modern architecture, high thrust–to-weight ratio, the possibility of fully automatic launch and a short preparation time for launch. The first stage is based on the RD–171 four-chamber oxygen-kerosene liquid rocket engine, developed and produced by NPO Energomash. Initially, this engine was developed for the superheavy Energia rocket. Zenit had a modification for launches from a floating spaceport under the Sea Launch project. A few years ago, Elon Musk answered a question about his favorite rocket like this: Zenit, it's probably the best after ours."
Alas, the creation of the rocket was carried out by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau named after M. K. Yangel, located in Dnepropetrovsk. After the collapse of the USSR, Ukrainians still produced Zeniths, but after 2014, cooperation gradually came to naught. Russia needed its own Zenit, and it is for its replacement that the Soyuz-5 is being created.
"Soyuz-5 is currently undergoing ground testing," Daniil Subbotin, Deputy General Director for Development of the Progress RCC, told the newspaper VZGLYAD, "accordingly, its components are undergoing all the tests that are provided for by the current technical regulations for the development of this space technology. In general, everything is going well. The launch vehicle itself is generally on schedule, as is the ground infrastructure, and we expect the first launch of this machine around 2025."
The ground infrastructure should be implemented under the Baiterek project jointly with Kazakhstan. However, due to the introduction of Western sanctions, the speed of the project has decreased, and it is unclear when it will be completed. Hopefully, this will also happen in 2025, when the Soyuz-5 will be ready for flight design tests.
Reusable Cupid
Work on the creation of the Amur rocket in a reusable version started in 2020. "The Amur-LNG launch vehicle is one of the most significant Russian programs in the field of rocket and space technology,– says Subbotin. – The very fact that the technology of reuse of the first stage in Russia has not been developed up to the current time suggests that the Samara enterprise of JSC RCC Progress was not chosen by chance. Relying on the experience and competence of developing other launch vehicles, we hope to become the first in Russia. We will have to go through a difficult path of pioneers in this direction."
Moreover, according to the developer,
"the state customer has set the task of implementing the reuse of the first stage. We are currently talking about 100 re-launches of the first stage."
To ensure these re-launches, the stage must be returned from the landing area to prepare it for subsequent use. Therefore, the landing areas will try to choose closer to the existing transport infrastructure. This is done in order to minimize investments in capital construction, not to make unnecessary roads that will be necessary for the evacuation of the first stage.
The Amur-LNG project is currently undergoing a technical design phase. Reconnaissance of the areas of possible landing of the returned first stage of the launch vehicle is currently underway. A large and representative group of specialists is working on this.
There is a lot of work ahead. "The first launch of Amur-LNG is expected around 2028-2030," the expert says. "This will already be in the new period of the Federal Space Program."
In order to launch Amur-LNG, many new technological solutions will have to be implemented. For example, it is necessary to create modern composite materials that will be used to create a rocket. It is also planned to facilitate the ground segment – to try (where possible and safely) to reduce the number of buried structures that are being made in accordance with current requirements. Thus, to do everything so that the economic efficiency of the project is ensured not only at the stage of project implementation, but also its creation.
For the first time, Russia will need to create a returnable first stage. Naturally, there were even many implementation options.
"Currently, we have settled on the option of landing the stage on our own engines," says Subbotin. – The Samara enterprise will defend this decision, it is clear that various scientific and technological institutes can argue with this during the design process. All points of view will be listened to. But we believe that landing on our own engines is the most profitable, although it presents a lot of technological difficulties and issues that need to be solved. These calculations were carried out taking into account the size of the stage, its design, the speed of return – other methods of reuse by picking up or landing "by plane" were rejected."
It is supposed to return the rocket from the landing site to the test site and re-launch with the help of road transport. This is the most flexible and fastest option to implement, which can be scaled or moved to another location. Of course, rail transport is softer and more "pleasant" for a rocket, but taking into account all factors, including economic, road transport is considered by developers as the most acceptable and convenient.
