History NK-33

1 history

1.1 n-1
1.2 combustion chamber design
1.3 kistler k-1
1.4 antares

history
n-1

the n-1 launcher used nk-15 engines first stage, , high-altitude modification (nk-15v) in second stage. after 4 consecutive launch failures , no successes, project cancelled. while other aspects of vehicle being modified or redesigned, kuznetsov improved contributions nk-33 , nk-43, respectively. 2nd-generation vehicle called n-1f. point moon race long lost, , soviet space program looking energia heavy launcher. no n-1f ever reached launch pad.

when n-1 program shut down, work on project ordered destroyed. bureaucrat instead took engines, worth millions of dollars each, , stored them in warehouse. word of engines spread america. thirty years after built, disbelieving rocket engineers led warehouse. 1 of engines later taken america, , precise specification of engine demonstrated on test stand.

combustion chamber design

about 60 engines survived in forest of engines , described engineers on trip warehouse. in mid-1990s, russia sold 36 engines aerojet general $1.1 million each, shipping them company facility in sacramento ca. during engine test in sacramento, engine hit specifications. aerojet had proof needed sell engines latest launch of satellites. nk-33 closed cycle technology works sending auxiliary engines exhaust main combustion chamber. made engine design unique. technology believed impossible western rocket engineers. heated liquid o2 flows through pre-burner , main chamber in design. extremely hot oxygen-rich mixture made engine dangerous: known melt 3 inch thick castings candle wax . resulted in lockheed martin developing new metal handle heat, combustion , temperature. 1 of controversies in kremlin on supplying engine design of engine similar russian icbm engine design. nk-33 s design used in later rd-180 engine, twice size of nk-33. rd-180 engines used (as of 2016) power atlas rockets. 1 of first engines produced in america using nk-33 s closed-cycle technology. company acquired license production of new engines. aerojet has modified , renamed updated nk-33 aj26-58 , aj26-62, , nk-43 aj26-59.

kistler k-1

kistler aerospace, later called rocketplane kistler (rpk), designed k-1 rocket around 3 nk-33s , nk-43. on august 18, 2006, nasa announced rpk had been chosen develop commercial orbital transportation services international space station. plan called demonstration flights between 2008 , 2010. rpk have received $207 million if met nasa milestones, on september 7, 2007, nasa issued default letter warning terminate cots agreement rocketplane kistler in 30 days because rpk had not met several contract milestones.

antares

an antares rocket being rolled out testing, showing 2 nk-33 engines.

the initial version of orbital sciences antares light-to-medium-lift launcher had 2 modified nk-33 in first stage, solid castor 30-based second stage , optional solid or hypergolic third stage. nk-33s imported russia united states, modified, , re-designated aerojet aj26s. involved removing electrical harnessing, adding u.s. electronics, qualifying u.s. propellants, , modifying steering system.

in 2010 stockpiled nk-33 engines tested use orbital sciences antares light-to-medium-lift launcher. antares rocket launched nasa s wallops flight facility on april 21, 2013. marked first successful launch of nk-33 heritage engines built in 1970s.

aerojet agreed recondition sufficient nk-33s serve orbital s 16-flight nasa commercial resupply services contract. beyond that, had stockpile of 23 1960s , 1970s era engines. kuznetsov no longer manufactures engines, orbital sought buy rd-180 engines. because npo energomash s contract united launch alliance prevented this, orbital sued ula alleging anti-trust violations. aerojet offered work kuznetsov restart production of new nk-33 engines, assure orbital of ongoing supply. however, manufacturing defects in engine s liquid oxygen turbopump , design flaws in hydraulic balance assembly , thrust bearings proposed 2 possible causes of 2014 antares launch failure. announced on 5 november 2014, orbital decided drop aj-26 first stage antares , source alternative engine. on december 17, 2014, orbital sciences announced use npo energomash rd-181 on second-generation antares launch vehicles , had contracted directly npo energomash 60 rd-181 engines. 2 engines used on first stage of current antares.

on may 13, 2014, russian deputy prime minister dmitry rogozin announced russia no longer supply rocket engines u.s. military launches, amid tensions arising 2014 russian military intervention in ukraine.