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Energia

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Energia LV Family
Credit: © Mark Wade

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AKA: 11K25;J;SL-17. Status: Retired 1988. First Launch: 1987-05-15. Last Launch: 1987-05-15. Number: 1 . Payload: 88,000 kg (194,000 lb). Thrust: 35,129.90 kN (7,897,516 lbf). Gross mass: 2,524,600 kg (5,565,700 lb). Height: 97.00 m (318.00 ft). Diameter: 7.75 m (25.42 ft). Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

LEO Payload: 88,000 kg (194,000 lb) to a 200 km orbit. Payload: 22,000 kg (48,000 lb) to a GEO. Flyaway Unit Cost 1985$: 764.000 million.

Stage Data - Energia

• Stage 0. 2 x Energia Strapon. Gross Mass: 355,000 kg (782,000 lb). Empty Mass: 35,000 kg (77,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 7,906.100 kN (1,777,362 lbf). Isp: 337 sec. Burn time: 145 sec. Isp(sl): 309 sec. Diameter: 3.90 m (12.70 ft). Span: 4.20 m (13.70 ft). Length: 37.70 m (123.60 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-170. Status: Out of Production. Comments: Essentially identical to Zenit stage 1.

• Stage 0. 4 x Energia Strapon. Gross Mass: 355,000 kg (782,000 lb). Empty Mass: 35,000 kg (77,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 7,906.100 kN (1,777,362 lbf). Isp: 337 sec. Burn time: 145 sec. Isp(sl): 309 sec. Diameter: 3.90 m (12.70 ft). Span: 4.20 m (13.70 ft). Length: 37.70 m (123.60 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-170. Status: Out of Production. Comments: Essentially identical to Zenit stage 1.

• Stage 1. 1 x Energia Core. Gross Mass: 905,000 kg (1,995,000 lb). Empty Mass: 85,000 kg (187,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 7,848.124 kN (1,764,328 lbf). Isp: 453 sec. Burn time: 480 sec. Isp(sl): 354 sec. Diameter: 7.75 m (25.42 ft). Span: 7.75 m (25.42 ft). Length: 58.77 m (192.80 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 4. Engine: RD-0120. Status: Out of Production.

• Stage 2. 1 x Energia RCS. Gross Mass: 17,000 kg (37,000 lb). Empty Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Thrust (vac): 84.935 kN (19,094 lbf). Isp: 352 sec. Burn time: 680 sec. Diameter: 3.70 m (12.10 ft). Span: 3.70 m (12.10 ft). Length: 5.70 m (18.70 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-58. Other designations: Retro and Correction Stage. Status: Out of Production. Comments: Adaptation of Block D for Energia payload orbital insertion.

• Stage 2. 1 x Energia EUS. Gross Mass: 77,000 kg (169,000 lb). Empty Mass: 7,000 kg (15,400 lb). Thrust (vac): 1,962.026 kN (441,081 lbf). Isp: 455 sec. Burn time: 160 sec. Isp(sl): 352 sec. Diameter: 5.70 m (18.70 ft). Span: 5.70 m (18.70 ft). Length: 16.47 m (54.03 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-0120. Other designations: Cryogenic Upper Stage. Status: Development 1990.

Photo Gallery

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Energia Energia Launch Vehicle erected on the pad

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Myasishchyev VMT-4 Myasishchyev VMT-2 with Energia liquid oxygen tank

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Aft view of Energia Aft view of Energia launch vehicle in assembly hall at MIK Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia strap-ons Energia launch vehicle strap-ons in assembly hall at MIK Credit: © Mark Wade

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Clustered Booster Clustered Launch Vehicle concept, similar to American ALS Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia strapons Energia strap-ons in the assembly building Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia booster Energia launch vehicle variants Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia launch pad Energia launch complex Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia pad 1 Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia pad 2 Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia pad 3 Credit: © Mark Wade

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Flame pit of Energia Flame pit of Energia combination launch / static test pad. The city of Leninsk had to go without water for a week to support each launch. Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia pad Mobile service gantry at the Energia pad Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia pad Mobile service gantry at the Energia pad Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia liftoff Energia lift-off with Polyus Credit: RKK Energia

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Energia / MZK Energia being lifted by 'Grasshopper' carrier into ZPK vertical static loads test stand

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Energia Component Energia LOX tank being transported by helicopter

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Energia / M4 Energia upper LOX core tank atop M4 carrier vehicle

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Energia / M4 Energia lower LH2 core tank atop M4 carrier vehicle

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Energia / M4 Energia tank atop M4 carrier vehicle

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Energia Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia booster Energia launch vehicle Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia LV Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia with Polyus Energia with Polyus payload Credit: © Mark Wade

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Vulkan LV Vulkan Launch Vehicle Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia M Credit: © Mark Wade

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Energia M on Pad Credit: RKK Energia

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Energia M Rollout Credit: RKK Energia

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• Energia model delivered to Baikonur - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran. In 1979 the EUK13 dimensional model of the Energia launch vehicle was delivered to Baikonur for handling demonstrations and production of tooling..

• First test flight of VM-T transport with Energia hydrogen tank. - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran. First test of the modified 3M bomber, converted to carry piggy-back Energia core stage components and Buran orbiters..

• Energia mock-up completed - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran. The 4M Energia launch vehicle high fidelity mock-up was completed at Baikonur..

• Energia dynamic tests - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: Buran. The 4M Energia mock-up was subjected to dynamic / vertical / load tests in May-October 1983. The 4M was then returned to the shop for fitting of complete functional propellant systems..

• Energia full-scale loads tests - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran. The 4M Energia mock-up was used for dynamic/vertical/load tests in May-October 1983. The 4M was then returned to the shop for fitting of complete functional propellant systems..

• OK-KS Buran systems test stand completed - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: Buran.

  The OK-KS Buran systems test stand was built at NPO Energia to conduct tests not possible on other stands. These included electrical layout, pneumo-hydraulic tests in abort conditions, EMI tests, failure mode response, telemetry, interface with the launch vehicle, software systems test.

• Buran OK-ML-1 mock-up arrived at Baikonur - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: Buran.

  The OK-ML-1 orbiter mock-up arrived atop the 3M-T at Baikonur. This action seems to have been in the fine Soviet tradition of individual enterprises proving they have met the plan, even if the method of doing it is useless. OK-ML-1 was to have been used in the first launch of the Energia, by the end of 1983. By delivering it to Baikonur by December 31, the spacecraft builders could claim, 'well, we met OUR part of the plan...'). OK-ML-1 was used for handling and pad compatibility tests.

• OK-ML-1 orbiter mock-up arrives at Baikonur - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran.

  The OK-ML-1 mock-up arrived atop the 3M-T transport aircraft. OK-ML-1 was originally to have been used in the first launch of the Energia, by the end of 1983. But the program was years behind schedule, and in the end the OK-ML-1 was used for handling and pad compatibility tests.

• OK-ML-2 orbiter mock-up arrives at Baikonur - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran. The OK-ML-2 (former OK-MT) functional mock-up was used for systems integration tests, and was to have been expended on the second test flight..

• Energia cold flow tests begun - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: Buran. From March-October 1985 the Ts core stage was back on the UKSS for cold flow tests. A total of nine cryogenic fuelling cycle were completed with the 4M Energia mock-up, representing the first operational use in the world of super-chilled hydrogen..

• Energia cold flow tests. - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran.

  From March-October 1985 the Ts core stage was back on the UKSS test/launch stand for cold flow tests. A total of nine cryogenic fuelling cycle were completed with the 4M Energia mock-up, representing the first operational use in the world of super-chilled hydrogen.

• Buran wings delivered to Baikonur - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: Buran.

  In December 1985 the wings of the first flight OK arrived at Baikonur. This was followed by what was to be the first 20 second Energia main engine firing test. This was terminated at 2.58 seconds when the automatic control system detected a slow spool up of an engine turbine. In a the first attempt at a full-duration test helium leaks contaminated electro-hydraulic systems, leading to a situation where the tanks could not be drained. An engineering brigade had to work on the fuelled booster for 55 minutes, attach another helium tank, which led to successful de-fuelling of the vehicle. The second engine test was a complete success, the engine running for 390 seconds. This test required the entire city of Leninsk to be without water for ten days in order to accumulate enough water for the UKSS cooling system.

• First Energia full thrust test - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran.

  This was to be the first 20 second Energia main engine firing test. It was terminated at 2.58 seconds when the automatic control system detected a slow spool up of an engine turbine. In a the first attempt at a full-duration test helium leaks contaminated electro-hydraulic systems, leading to a situation where the tanks could not be drained. An engineering brigade had to work on the fuelled booster for 55 minutes, attach another helium tank, which led to successful de-fuelling of the vehicle.

• Polyus mock-up delivered to Baikonur - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft Bus: TKS. Spacecraft: Polyus. A Polyus mock-up was delivered by the Krunichev Factory to Baikonur Cosmodrome, for tests of the Polyus/Energia interface. The spacecraft was about 37 meters in length, 4.1 meters in diameter and weighed about 80 metric tons..

• UKSS static tests of Energia - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Glushko. Spacecraft: Buran.

  Further UKSS tests of Energia were conducted in preparation of a test launch without Buran. These were conducted using a dummy payload and solid rocket motors to simulate loads from the booster rockets. Following this vehicle 6SL was selected for the first actual launch. The launch vehicle used by itself without Buran was named Energia by Glushko only just before the launch.

• Tests of Energia with payload cannister - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran. Following the decision to make the first flight of Energia without a Buran orbiter, in August-September 1986 further UKSS tests of Energia were conducted. These used a dummy payload and solid rocket motors to simulate loads from the booster rockets..

• Second Energia full thrust test - . Nation: Russia. Program: Buran. Spacecraft: Buran. The second engine test was a complete success, the engine running for 390 seconds. This test required the entire city of Leninsk to be without water for ten days in order to accumulate enough water for the UKSS cooling system..

• Energia-Polyus - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: Buran.

  Energia was to deliver the military Skif-DM Polyus battle station into orbit. Due to delays in completion of the enormous static test facility at Baikonur, which could test the entire Energia vehicle stack, it was decided to launch the vehicle without the verification the tests would provide. The launch of 6SL was planned for 21:30 Moscow time. It was delayed five hours when a leak was detected in the Block 3A electrical distribution section, then by another hour due to a fault LH2 thermostat. The launch vehicle performed successfully, but the payload failed to inject itself into orbit due to a guidance system failure.

• Polyus - . Payload: Skif-DM. Mass: 80,000 kg (176,000 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: UNKS. Program: Buran. Class: Military. Type: Strategic defense satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TKS. Spacecraft: Polyus. Decay Date: 1987-05-15 . COSPAR: F870515A.

  Due to delays in completion of the enormous static test facility at Baikonur, which could test the entire Energia vehicle stack, it was decided to launch the vehicle without the verification the tests would provide. The launch of 6SL was planned for 11 May 1987 at 21:30 Moscow time. It was delayed five days when a leak was detected in the Block 3A electrical distribution section, then by another hour due to a fault LH2 thermostat. The launch vehicle performed successfully, but the Polyus payload failed to inject itself into orbit due to a guidance system failure. Additional Details: here....