KHIMKI, Moscow Region. Aug 7 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian RD- 180 rocket engine will work to its full capacity for the first time during the launching of the Atlas-5 heavy rocket carrier on August 21, Alexander Kozlov, head of the information department of the local Energomash scientific and production enterprise, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"RD-180 has only been used twice to power Atlas-3 rocket carriers where only 85 percent of the engine's thrust efficiency was employed," Kozlov said.
He noted that the new-generation Atlas-5 carrier rocket differed from the Atlas-3 rocket in greater output efficiency and enhanced duration of the flame impulse. Specifications of the missile enable it to orbit a payload of up to 8.7 tonnes, while the Atlas-3 carrier is capable of delivering payloads of up to 4.5 tonnes. First stages of the two rockets are fitted with Russian RD- 180 liquid-fuel engines developed and produced by Energomash. A total of 20 engines will be delivered to the American side in accordance with the contract that has already been signed. The overall number of engines to be procured from the Russian side mounts up to 101, cost of one unit rising up to some USD10m. The RD- AMROSS joint U.S.-Russian enterprise was set up by the Energomash company and Pratt & Whitney enterprise in 1997 specifically for implementing the project.
The first mass-produced RD-180 was delivered to the United States in 1999; certification of the engine was carried out the same year. The first flight of the Atlas-3 carrier rocket powered with the Russian engine took place on May 24, 2000.
Energomash is Russia's leading company specializing in development and production of high-power liquid-fuel rocket engines for rocket carriers used for implementing national and international space programs. Among the assets designed and produced by the company are engines for rocket carriers of the Vostok, Voskhod, Proton, Energiya and Zenith series. Experts of the enterprise are now engaged in developing and testing the RD-191 engine to be mounted on new carriers of the Angara series.