RD-864
The RD-864 (GRAU: 15D177) is a Soviet liquid propellant rocket engine burning UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide in a gas generator combustion cycle.[1] 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 (GRAU: 15A18) and Dnepr.[5] For the R-36M2 (GRAU: 15A18M), an improved version, the RD-869 (GRAU: 15D300) was developed.[1][6][10][11]
Country of origin | Soviet Union |
---|---|
Date | 1976-1978 |
First flight | October 31, 1977 |
Designer | Yuzhnoye Design Bureau |
Manufacturer | Yuzhmash |
Application | Upper Stage |
Associated L/V | R-36M UTTKh and Dnepr |
Successor | RD-869 |
Status | In Service |
Liquid-fuel engine | |
Propellant | N 2O 4 / UDMH |
Mixture ratio | 1.8 |
Cycle | Gas Generator |
Configuration | |
Chamber | 4 |
Performance | |
Thrust | High Thrust Mode: 20.2 kN (4,500 lbf) Low Thrust Mode: 8.45 kN (1,900 lbf) |
Chamber pressure | High Thrust Mode: 4.1 MPa (590 psi) Low Thrust Mode: 1.7 MPa (250 psi) |
Specific impulse | High Thrust Mode: 309 seconds Low Thrust Mode: 298 seconds |
Burn time | up to 600s |
Restarts | 25 |
Gimbal range | +/- 55° |
Dimensions | |
Length | 4,020 mm (158 in) |
Diameter | 1,420 mm (56 in) |
Dry weight | 199 kg (439 lb) |
Used in | |
R-36M UTTKh and Dnepr third stage | |
References | |
References | [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] |
Country of origin | Soviet Union |
---|---|
Date | 1983-1985 |
First flight | March 1986 |
Designer | Yuzhnoye Design Bureau |
Manufacturer | Yuzhmash |
Application | Upper Stage |
Associated L/V | R-36M2 |
Predecessor | RD-864 |
Status | In Service |
Liquid-fuel engine | |
Propellant | N 2O 4 / UDMH |
Mixture ratio | 1.8 |
Cycle | Gas Generator |
Configuration | |
Chamber | 4 |
Performance | |
Thrust | High Thrust Mode: 20.47 kN (4,600 lbf) Low Thrust Mode: 8.58 kN (1,930 lbf) |
Chamber pressure | High Thrust Mode: 4.1 MPa (590 psi) Low Thrust Mode: 1.7 MPa (250 psi) |
Specific impulse | High Thrust Mode: 313 seconds Low Thrust Mode: 302.3 seconds |
Burn time | up to 700s |
Restarts | 50 |
Gimbal range | +/- 55° |
Dimensions | |
Length | 4,020 mm (158 in) |
Diameter | 1,420 mm (56 in) |
Dry weight | 196 kg (432 lb) |
Used in | |
R-36M2 third stage | |
References | |
References | [1][5][6][10] |
History
When the Soviet military developed an improved version of the R-36M ICBM, Yangel's OKB-586 developed a new engine for the third stage, the RD-864. Developed between 1976 and 1978 it flew for the first time on October 31, 1977. With the START I and START II the some 150 R-36M and R-36M UTTKh were retired and to be destroyed by 2007.[1][4] So, a civilian application was looked for and during the 1990s, Yuzhnoe Design Bureau (the R-36M designer) successfully developed the Dnepr launch vehicle.[3] It flew for the first time on April 21, 1999 and as of June 2016 it is still operational.[12] So, while the production of the RD-864 has long since been finished, the engine is still to this day operational.[12][13]
The RD-869 was an improved version for the most powerful Soviet ICBM ever, the R-36M2 (15A18M). It had improved efficiency, restart capability and burn life over the RD-864.[1][10] As of January 2016 there are still 46 operational R-36M2 (RS-20V, SS-18) and thus the RD-869 is still in service, if out of production.[13]
Versions
There are two versions of this engine:
- RD-864 (GRAU Index: 15D177): First developed as the third stage engine for the R-36M UTTKh (15A18) ICBM and, by extension, on the Dnepr launch vehicle.[1][5]
- RD-869 (GRAU Index: 15D300): An improved version of the RD-864. It has improved efficiency, restart capability and burn life. It is used on the R-36M2 (15A18M).[1][6]
See also
- R-36M UTTKh - The most powerful ever Soviet ICBM for which the RD-864/869 engines were created.
- Dnepr - A Ukrainian small rocket project that uses the RD-864.
- Yuzhnoe Design Bureau - The RD-864/869 designer bureau.
- Yuzhmash - A multi-product machine-building company that's closely related to Yuzhnoe and manufactures the RD-RD-864/869.
References
- "Двигатели 1944-2000: Аавиационные, Ракетные, Морские, Промышленные" [Aviadvigatel 19442-2000: Aviation, rocketry, naval and industry] (PDF) (in Russian). pp. 341–342. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- Brügge, Norbert. "Dnepr Propulsion". B14643.de. Retrieved 2015-08-06.
- Wade, Mark. "Dnepr". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- Wade, Mark. "R-36MU 15A18". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- Wade, Mark. "RD-864". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- Wade, Mark. "RD-869". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- Pillet, Nicolas. "Le troisième étage de Dniepr" [The Dnepr third stge] (in French). Kosmonavtika.com. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- "Dnepr". Yuzhnoye. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- "Dnepr Launch Vehicle". Yuzhmash. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
- Wade, Mark. "R-36M2 15A18M". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- Pal'kov, V. A.; Timchenko, A. Ju.; Stecenko, A. Ja. (2014). Tkachenko, V. D. (ed.). Шестьдесят лет в ракетостроении и космонавтике. 1954-2014 [Sixty years in rocketry and astronautics. 1954-2014] (in Russian). Yuzhnoye SDO. pp. 183–185. ISBN 978-966-348-349-8.
- Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2016-06-13). "Dnepr". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- "Strategic Rocket Forces". January 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-07.