Launch vehicle Energia
Stages
The most notable among design solutions is stage I. In
compliance with the technical assignment, The Energia-Buran
Space System should be reusable and employed no less than
in 10 missions. As a result of comprehensive studies, a
parachute rocket system was selected for the core stage
recovery after its separation from LV. To return and reuse
the core stage was a complex scientific-engineering task
assumed to be solved successfully, as experimental development
was progressing. Stages A to be subjected to flight tests
within the LV were not provided with recovery capabilities
and only certain systems were used for recovery verification.
An important factor having bearing upon the implementation
of the stage A development program was that a medium-lift
launch vehicle "Zenit" was being designed at Design Office
"Yuzhnoye" (Dnepropetrovsk, V. F. Utkin - Designer General)
in parallel with NPO Energia's work on LV Energia. Rocket
stages of both launch vehicles had to be standardized at
the most. It was assumed to standardize dimensions of fuel
tanks, structure materials, the engine, and the majority
of automatics. That the development of LV "Zenit" was in
advance gave the ability to consider to a great extent results
of ground and flight tests of "Zenit" LV stage I in designing
stage A. A modular part of stage A was made at the "Yuzhmash"
plant (Dnepropetrovsk, L. D. Kuchma - the Director). At
the Experimental Machine Building Plant the aft and fore
compartments have been made and stages A have been assembled
(Kaliningrad, Moscow region, A. A. Borisenko - the Director).
To make the LV Energia stage II (core stage TS) was the
most difficult task. Huge dimensions, plenty of piping,
welded joints, cabling, and equipment resulted in that a
1.5-year production cycle was required. The Kuibyshev plant
"Progress" was selected a prime contractor to manufacture
the core stage and assemble LV Energia. Large compartments
of the core stage were transported from the manufacturer
to the launch site on a specially modified airplane 3M-T
for final assembly.
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
