Comprehensive Rocket-Space Program
Technical Proposals — Volume III
Reusable Transport Space System
Ministry of General Machine Building of the USSR Scientific-Production Association “ENERGIA”
APPROVED — Director and General Designer, Academician (GLUSHKO), 25 October 1974
APPROVED — General Designer of the Moscow Machine-Building Plant “OPYT” (TUPOLEV), 1974
2. System Composition and Main Requirements for the MTKS Complex
2.1. System Composition of the Complex
The MTKS complex includes systems for launch preparation and execution, payload delivery and return.
2.1.1. The reusable transport space system for delivery and return is a two-stage rocket with a reusable returnable orbital aircraft.
The first stage consists of two modular rocket blocks A of the launch vehicle RLA-120 with RD-150 engines, boosted in thrust at sea level to 1200 tf.
The second stage comprises the orbital aircraft and a suspended fuel tank, jettisoned along the ascent trajectory after exhaustion of the working propellant reserve. The second-stage engines are mounted on the orbital aircraft and are functionally linked to the suspended fuel tank and the OS systems during ascent and emergency situations.
The orbital aircraft (RLA-135) is a hypersonic vehicle with a double-delta wing and vertical tail, equipped with liquid-propellant rocket engines for orbital maneuvering and reaction control.
Project TZ [1] also provides for studying the possibility of creating a cargo variant by replacing the reusable orbital aircraft with an expendable rocket block with the payload to be delivered, using the DU and SU elements of the second stage. Due to the absence of payload data, the study of this variant was not conducted at this stage.
2.1.2. The launch preparation and execution system is a ground support complex for the MTKS and consists of the launch-landing complex and the command-and-measurement complex.
The launch-landing complex includes a launch pad with autonomous launch facilities, a technical position with an assembly and test building, a repair and restoration facility, as well as a landing strip with post-flight servicing platforms and stations.
The command-and-measurement complex includes control and measurement processing centers, ground receiving-transmitting stations, and search-and-rescue assets.
The detailed composition of the constituent elements of the main MTKS complex systems is given in the corresponding sections of the technical proposal.
2.2. Main Requirements for the MTKS Complex Systems
2.2.1. Requirements for the Launch and Return System
From the payload perspective, the main requirements for the launch system are as follows:
- the payload mass delivered by the launch system to the reference circular orbit of the ISZh (at inclination to the equator i = 51.6° and altitude H = 200 km) shall be 40 t;
- the payload mass returned from the reference orbit in the cargo bay of the orbital aircraft shall be 20 t;
- the reference launch trajectories are characterized by orbit inclinations of i = 91°–102° and i = 51°–63°.
Requirements for the elements of the launch system design:
- propellant components — non-toxic (oxygen–kerosene for the first-stage DU, oxygen–hydrogen for the second-stage DU);
- the MTKS stages shall consist of unified launch vehicle system modules with minimal modifications.
General requirements for the constituent assemblies and elements of the launch and return system are given in the corresponding sections of the technical proposal.
2.2.2. Requirements for the Ground Support Complex
Requirements for the ground support complex, in the part determining the technical capabilities and costs of creating the ground complex, are as follows:
- the ground complex shall support a program of 20–25 launches per year with a guaranteed reliable service life of 10 years;
- the MTKS launch-landing complex shall provide direct insertion of payloads into sun-synchronous orbits (i = 97°–102°) and orbits with inclinations in the range i = 51°–63°;
- two autonomous launch facilities shall allow parallel preparation and launch of two vehicles;
- the technical position shall provide for the simultaneous assembly of two vehicles;
- the landing strip measuring 5 × 0.1 km shall be located near the launch complex.
3. Justification of the Principal Layout Scheme of the MTKS
The principal layout scheme significantly affects the geometric and mass characteristics of the launch system.
The following general requirements are placed on its selection:
- ensuring minimum development and production costs;
- maximum utilization of unified assemblies and components;
- consideration of the technical capabilities of the existing production base.
The determining factor in the design of the entire reusable transport space system is the selection of the layout scheme of the orbital aircraft.
3.1. Layout of the Orbital Aircraft
The layout of the orbital aircraft (OS) is determined by the main requirements set out in Section 2.
The fulfillment of these requirements unambiguously determines the necessity of using an aircraft configuration [2]. The distinctive feature of the aerodynamic layout is conditioned by the OS operating across a wide speed range (0.5 < M < 20), encompassing hypersonic speeds during re-entry and aerodynamic braking, and subsonic speeds during the landing approach. Ensuring high flight qualities under these conditions predetermines the use of a lifting fuselage with a double-delta wing and a developed vertical (tail) stabilizer.
The use of the OS as a universal transport vehicle, with the aim of reducing the effect of external factors on the delivered and returned payload, determines the necessity of an internal cargo bay with controlled pressure and temperature conditions. The dimensions of the cargo bay are determined by the payload class specified in project [1].
The placement of the second-stage DU on the OS determines the configuration and dimensions of the fuselage tail section, and also conditions the lateral positioning of the OS relative to the launch vehicle and the design principles of the mechanical and hydraulic connections.
The crew cabin is located in the nose section of the fuselage and is designed as a removable module not participating in the load-bearing structure. This solution allows autonomous testing of the cabin and its systems and may simplify crew rescue organization in a number of emergency situations.
To protect the structure from the effects of high temperatures during ascent and descent, the use of removable thermal protection panels is envisaged on surface areas where the heating temperature exceeds 1500°C.
The external configuration of the OS is shown in Figure 1.
3.2. Layout Scheme of MTKS-1
In accordance with the composition set out in Section 2, MTKS-1 includes the orbital aircraft RLA-135, the suspended fuel tank, and the first stage.
To satisfy the requirement for maximum unification of the modular rocket blocks of the launch vehicle system being developed by NPO “Energia”, the layout scheme of MTKS-1 (Figure 2) is based on the first-stage rocket blocks of RLA-120, while the central modular block Ts MTKS is also used on launch vehicle RLA-150 as a second stage.
[…]
11. Technical Characteristics of the Reusable Transport Space System and Its Components
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| 11.1. Orbital Aircraft | |
| 11.1.1 Overall Dimensions | |
| Length, m | 41.4 |
| Height including vertical tail (landing gear retracted), m | 14.5 |
| Wingspan, m | 26 |
| Cargo bay diameter, m | 5 |
| Cargo bay length, m | 20 |
| 11.1.2 Mass Characteristics | |
| At MTKS launch to OISZh at inclination i = 51.6°, t | 171 |
| In OISZh with apogee 200 km and perigee 80 km (i = 51.6°), t | 154 |
| In OISZh at Hкр = 200 km (i = 51.6°), t | 152 |
| Structure, t | 94.5 |
| At nominal landing, t | 115 |
| At emergency landing, t | 164 |
| Propellant for emergency abort in first 40 s of flight, t | 6.78 |
| Propellant for orbital maneuvering and reaction control (working reserve), t | 23.76 |
| 11.1.3 Number and Types of Engines | |
| Second stage | 4 liquid oxygen-hydrogen LREs |
| Orbital maneuvering | 2 LREs |
| Reaction control | 40 LREs (pulse-mode), 10 UMRDs |
| 11.1.4 Nominal Engine Thrust in Vacuum, tf | |
| Second stage | 250 |
| Orbital maneuvering | 3.5 |
| Reaction control | 0.4 |
| 11.1.5 Engine Propellant Components | |
| Second stage | O₂ + H₂ |
| Orbital maneuvering and reaction control | AT + NDMG |
| 11.1.6 Second-stage engine throttling range, % | −50…+9 |
| 11.1.7 Crew Compartment Volume, m³ | |
| Total | 120 |
| Working | 80 |
| 11.1.8 Number of Cosmonauts | |
| Crew | 3 |
| Passengers (by reducing payload mass) | up to 6 |
| 11.1.9 Duration of Stay in OISZh | |
| Nominal | up to 7 days |
| With additionally expended mass reserves for onboard systems operation and life support | up to 30 days |
| 11.1.10 Lateral maneuvering range using aerodynamic lift, km | ±2000 |
| 11.1.11 Landing Speed, km/h | |
| At nominal landing | 280–320 |
| At emergency landing | 360–370 |
| 11.1.12 Service Life, flights | |
| Airframe | not less than 100 |
| Engines | 50, upgradeable to 100 |
| 11.2.1 External Fuel Tank — Overall Dimensions, m | |
| Length | 56.2 |
| Oxygen tank diameter | 10.36 |
| Hydrogen tank diameter | 8.37 |
| 11.2.2 External Fuel Tank — Mass Characteristics, t | |
| At full fueling | 982 |
| At launch | 977.4 |
| At first-stage MTKS-1 separation | 632.5 |
| At separation from OS | 67.9 |
| Working propellant reserve | 909.5 |
| Loaded propellant reserve | 917.5 |
| 11.2.3 Number of uses | 1 |
| 11.3.1 Number of modular blocks A | 2 |
| 11.3.2 First Stage Blocks A1 and A2 — Overall Dimensions, m | |
| Length | 43.8 |
| Diameter across tanks | 6.0 |
| Diameter across vernier engine fairings | 9.2 |
| 11.3.3 First Stage — Mass Characteristics, t | |
| At full fueling | 1647 |
| At launch | 1638 |
| At separation from second stage | 162 |
| Working propellant reserve | 1476 |
| Loaded propellant reserve | 1507.5 |
| 11.3.4 Propellant Components | |
| Oxidizer | Liquid oxygen |
| Fuel | RG-1 |
| 11.3.5 Number and Types of Engines | |
| Main engines | 2 × RD-150 |
| Vernier engines | 4 × RD-1246 |
| 11.3.6 Nominal Engine Thrust at Sea Level, tf | |
| Main engines | 2 × 1200 |
| Vernier engines | 4 × 112.5 |
| 11.3.7 Number of uses | 1 |
| 11.4.1 MTKS-1 Launch System — Overall Dimensions, m | |
| Length | 67.5 |
| Height (along OS vertical tail) | 24 |
| Width (along OS wingspan) | 26 |
| 11.4.2 MTKS-1 Launch System — Mass Characteristics, t | |
| At full fueling | 2800 |
| At launch | 2786.5 |
| At end of first-stage operation | 965.6 |
| At start of second-stage operation | 803.6 |
| At end of second-stage operation | 232.2 |
| 11.4.3 Nominal engine thrust at launch, tf | 3626 |
| 11.4.4 Thrust-to-Weight Ratio | |
| At launch | 1.30 |
| Second stage (after separation) | 1.24 |
| 11.4.5 Payload Mass Delivered in OS Cargo Bay, t | |
| To reference circular orbit at Hкр = 200 km, i = 51.6° | 40 (with additional reserve Vк = 120 m/s) |
| To polar orbit at Hкр = 200 km | 29.5 |
| To orbit at Hкр = 400 km, i = 97° | 20 |
Machine translation.