Roskosmos 25 billion rubles will rocket engine with methane – Express-News

16.01 | 12:50

The Russian media reported that the state-owned corporation Roscosmos intends to create a space rocket with an engine that runs on methane fuel. According to sources for the project will require about 25 billion rubles.

Roskosmos plans to recreate the Russian version of the carrier “Zenith” with the engine on methane fuel. Financing development inherent in development work “Propulsion launch vehicles” (ROC) of the Federal Space Program for 2016-2025 years (PCF). On Thursday, January 14 report “Izvestia».

«Originally conceived that methane engines will be equipped with the missile” Phoenix “(its development is also planned for the project FCP), but later taking into account the situation with the budget decided radically new missile not to do, and go back to the idea of ​​recreating the Russian “Zenith”, “- said one of the drafters of the French Communist Party.

To create a new unit to upgrade the offer designers RD-171. “We plan to make the demonstrator engine on methane, even taking into account the fact that the vehicle with the engine until the building is not planned,” – said the composer.

On the ROC Roskosmos requested to allocate 25.223 billion rubles, part of which should go on creation of methane engine. The remaining funds will be used to develop prototypes of liquid rocket engines using composite materials and advanced security systems.

The rocket “Zenith”, which carries out assembly Dnepropetrovsk “Pivdenmash” is set to 70 percent of Russian components. RD-171 first stage of the launch vehicle “Zenit” and its upper stage is carried out in Russia. Missile control system, too – at the Research Institute for Automation and Instrumentation Pilyugina name.

It should be noted that the theme of methane engines have long worked out Khimki NGOs “the Energomash” Chemical Automatics Design Bureau Voronezh and Samara Samara Space “Progress”. In 2012, “the Energomash” was scientific and technical advice on the establishment of a rocket engine running on natural gas, where it was proposed to start development of a twin-engine thrust 200 tons fuel “liquid oxygen – liquefied methane”.

In 2014, “Progress”, presented his vision for the future of the missile – a promising super-heavy carrier-class, all motors that run on compressed natural gas (CNG). This Samarians justify their choice of methane as fuel the following arguments: “The proposed fuel is a promising, actively developed by other industries, has a wide source of raw materials in comparison with kerosene, and low cost – this is an important point, given the period of creation and the planned period of operation complex, as well as possible (predicted) problems of production of kerosene in 30-50 years “.