RD-180 Credit - Lockheed Martin

The RD-180 is a two thrust chamber derivative of the RD-170. It packages the high performance, operability, and reusability features of the RD-170 in a size to meet U.S. booster propulsion needs. The RD-180 is a total propulsion unit with hydraulics for control valve actuation and thrust vector gimbaling, pneumatics for valve actuation and system purging, and a thrust frame to distribute loads, all self contained as part of the engine. The engine, employing a LOX lead start, stage combustion cycle and LOX rich turbine drive, will deliver a 10 percent performance increase over current operational U.S. booster engines and provide clean reusable operation. Only the main turbo-pump assembly and boost pumps require development and they are scalable from the RD-120 and RD-170 units. All other components are taken directly from the RD-170. The RD-180 was developed in 42 months at a small fraction of the cost of a typical U.S. new engine development. This engine will power Lockheed Martin's Atlas III and Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV). General Description:

• Staged combustion cycle engine
• LOX/Kerosene propellants
• 2 thrust chambers (gimbal +8 )
• 1 oxygen rich preburner
• High pressure turbopump assembly
• 2 stage fuel pump
• single-stage oxygen pump
• single turbine
• Hypergolic ignition
• Self contained hydraulic system (valves, TVC) powered with kerosene from fuel pump
• Health monitoring and life prediction system
• Automated flight preparation (after installation on the vehicle, all operations are automated through launch)
• Minimized interfaces with launch pad and vehicle (pneumatic and hydraulic systems self contained, electrical panels consolidated, thrust frame to simplify mechanical interface)
• Environmentally clean operations with staged combustion oxidizer rich preburner, and oxidizer start and shutdown modes that eliminate coking and unburned kerosene pollution potential
• 50 - 100% continuous throttling provides potential for real time trajectory matching and engine checkout on the pad before launch commit
• 80% RD-170 parts

Used in the Atlas IIIA and developed in 1993-1999. This is double chamber motor is 1/2 of the RD-173 so is cheap and fast to develop, 70% of the parts come directly fromRD-170, main new development is turbopump. Throttle range 40-100%.

• Used on stage: Atlas CCB. on launch vehicle: Atlas V.

• Used on stage: Atlas IIIA. on launch vehicle: Atlas IIIA.

• Used on stage: Atlas IIIA. on launch vehicle: Atlas IIIB.

• Used on stage: Atlas IIIA. on launch vehicle: Timberwind Centaur.

• Salmon, Andrew, The Story Of Russian Rocket Engines - Energomash Museum, Commentary by the guide at the Energomash rocket engine museum in Khimki, April 1998 at YSC98..

• Russian Arms Catalogue, Vol 5 and 6, Military Parade, Moscow via Dietrich Haeseler.

• RD-180, Information leaflet from Pratt & Whitney, dated 5/97 via Dietrich Haeseler.