Discussion Energia Reloaded? (Sodruzhestvo launch vehicle)

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Parabolic Arc: Will Energia Revive Energia?:

Energia is looking to revive its Energia rocket in response to a Russian government tender for a heavy-lift booster

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Reviving Energia would be an international project. The rocket’s Zenit-derived booster rockets are made by Yuzhmash in Ukraine and the launch complex is at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

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Interfax: Super-heavy carrier rocket could be created jointly with Ukraine, Kazakhstan - Energia:

MOSCOW. Aug 20 (Interfax-AVN) - The space rocket corporation Energia, based in Korolyov near Moscow, has proposed a plan to create a super-heavy carrier rocket, Commonwealth, for long-distance space missions, jointly with Ukraine and Kazakhstan, Energia President and General Designer Vitaly Lopota told reporters on Monday.

"Energia is proposing that a carrier rocket, Commonwealth, be created in cooperation with Ukraine and Kazakhstan, with the use of the Energia-Buran know-how," he said.

"The Energia-Buran project includes the launch system, which is still viable. At least it can be brought back to life. It also includes the "A" rocket units, used in the Zenit carrier rocket, and also engines made today. We proposed using oxygen-kerosene engines instead of the hydrogen central part, and make the first and second stages of five units," he said.

"Concerning the carrying capacity, it's difficult to speculate, but it could be up to 70 tonnes, which is sufficient to circle the Moon," Lopota said.

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[IronRain]

That would be very cool!

 

[SiberianTiger]

There's a discussion going on at NK forum around this. Looks like Lopota has offered an expected response for Roscosmos' tender process for building a heavy payload launcher.

Unlike the project from early 2000's, it's not Energia-M, one recent presentation is displaying a 67-tonnes launcher like this (second from right):

Click this bar to view the full image.

So it's like a Zenit with 4 strap-ons. Uses KeroLOX, launching mass is 2132 tonnes.

It's obvious why Ukraine is in the deal, and the Kazakhs' interest in this is possibility to sell the use of the UKSS test/launch complex in case Angara project won't mature sooner.

Probably reusing the UKSS will help to save on building a special launch pad for that rocket.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

There's a discussion going on at NK forum around this. Looks like Lopota has offered an expected response for Roscosmos' tender process for building a heavy payload launcher.

Unlike the project from early 2000's, it's not Energia-M, one recent presentation is displaying a 67-tonnes launcher like this (second from right):

Click this bar to view the full image.

So it's like a Zenit with 4 strap-ons. Uses KeroLOX, launching mass is 2132 tonnes.

It's obvious why Ukraine is in the deal, and the Kazakhs' interest in this is possibility to sell the use of the UKSS test/launch complex in case Angara project won't mature sooner.

Probably reusing the UKSS will help to save on building a special launch pad for that rocket.

Is the rocket on the left the "Energia-K" rumored by Energia (pardon the pun!) for several years?

 

[SiberianTiger]

Is the rocket on the left the "Energia-K" rumored by Energia (pardon the pun!) for several years?

AFAIK, Energia-K is supposed to have a RD-175 on the 1st stage. So I don't know what's this. A basic Zenit shown for comparison? But why then a year 2016 is quoted as the start service year?.. :shrug:

 

[N_Molson]

Russian SLS :lol:

 

[Hlynkacg]

Russian SLS :lol:

That was my first thought.

 

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Sodruzhestvo launch vehicle

RussianSpaceWeb.com: Russian firm proposes economical heavy-lifting rocket

Published: 2012 Oct. 25

In 2012, Russia's leading space developer, RKK Energia, revived its proposal for a heavy-lifting launch vehicle that would be developed jointly by several former republics of the Soviet Union. Still considered radical by many, the idea traced its roots to the beginning of the 1990s. The disintegration of the USSR in 1991 had a devastating effect on the Soviet space industry. Newly installed political and economic boundaries threatened to derail space projects involving entities located in various newly independent states, unless leaders of the Russian space industry and their new neighbors would learn to cooperate. One of the early projects aimed to bring back together rocket industries in Russia and Ukraine was called Sodruzhestvo (Alliance) and aimed to build a new-generation launch vehicle. Unfortunately, it proved to be too far ahead of its time, as former Soviet republics were drifting apart.

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