EKR Cutaway Media Gallery

B Chertok of NII-8 took the preliminary German R-13 cruise missile design and elaborated it, including consideration of the key problem of long-range automatic astronavigation. By 1951 to 1953 Korolev's design bureau had prepared an experimental design, the EKR. I Lisovich had developed a prototype astronavigation system that met the necessary specifications, and solution of basic problems in use of steel and titanium hot airframe technology had been solved at VIAM (All-Union Institute of Aviation Materials) and MVTU Bauman Institute. An expert commission in 1953 examined the EKR design and felt that there were still many technical problems to be solved, most of which were better handled by an aircraft designer rather than Korolev.

Further, Korolev had to place the highest priority on development of the R-7 ICBM. Therefore a final government decree on 20 May 1954 authorised the Lavochkin and Myasishchev aircraft design bureaux to proceed in parallel with full-scale development of trisonic intercontinental cruise missiles. The Eksperimentalniy krilatiy raket (experimental winged rocket) as designed by Korolev would have been a Mach 3 ramjet, accelerated to supersonic cruise speed by an R-11 booster. Smaller than the operational vehicle proposed by the Germans, it would have a range of 730 km with flight time of 927 seconds, a lift to drag ratio of 2.51, and a wing area 3.31 square meters.

Manufacturer: Korolev. to a: 730 km trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 93.000 kN (20,907 lbf). Total Mass: 7,874 kg (17,359 lb). Core Diameter: 0.88 m (2.88 ft). Total Length: 21.00 m (68.00 ft). Standard warhead mass: 200 kg (440 lb). Maximum range: 730 km (450 mi).

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: EKR Stage 1. Gross Mass: 6,390 kg (14,080 lb). Empty Mass: 1,564 kg (3,448 lb). Thrust (vac): 107.333 kN (24,129 lbf). Isp: 250 sec. Burn time: 127 sec. Isp(sl): 217 sec. Diameter: 0.88 m (2.88 ft). Span: 3.06 m (10.05 ft). Length: 8.29 m (27.19 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: S2.253 derivative. Status: Study 1953. First stage for Eksperimentalnaya krilataya raketa (experimental winged rocket), Mach 3 ramjet. Boosted second stage to ramjet ignition conditions.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: EKR Stage 2. Gross Mass: 1,484 kg (3,271 lb). Empty Mass: 1,167 kg (2,572 lb). Thrust (vac): 6.129 kN (1,378 lbf). Isp: 1,580 sec. Burn time: 800 sec. Isp(sl): 0 sec. Diameter: 0.65 m (2.13 ft). Span: 2.02 m (6.62 ft). Length: 9.43 m (30.95 ft). Propellants: Air/Kerosene. No Engines: 1. Engine: EKR Ramjet. Status: Study 1953. Second stage for Eksperimentalnaya krilataya raketa (experimental winged rocket), Mach 3 ramjet. Range 730 km with flight time of 927 seconds. Lift to drag 2.51, wing area 3.31 square meters. Not developed but formed basis for Burya and Buran missiles.

1949 October - Launch Vehicle: G-3, EKR, Buran, Burya.

• Albring G-3 cruise missile Nation: USSR. Program: Navaho. German aerodynamicist Albring designed the G-3 missile for the Russians. This would use a rocket-powered Groettrup-designed G-1 as the first stage. The cruise stage would have an aerodynamic layout like that of the Saenger-Bredt rocket-powered antipodal bomber of World War II. Cruising at 13 km altitude, the supersonic missile would carry a 3000 kg warhead to a range of 2900 km. This was an alternate approach to Ustinov's 3000 kg over 3000 km range missile requirement of April 1949. This design would be elaborated at Korolev's bureau into the EKR ramjet design of 1953.

• Expert commission examined the EKR design Nation: USSR. Program: Navaho. Spacecraft: M-42. In 1951 to 1953 Korolev's design bureau had prepared an experimental trisonic ramjet design, the EKR.The expert commission ifelt that there were still many technical problems to be solved, most of which were better handled by an aircraft designer rather than Korolev. Further, Korolev had to place the highest priority on development of the R-7 ICBM. Therefore a final government decree on 20 May 1954 authorised the Lavochkin and Myasishchev aircraft design bureaux to proceed in parallel with full-scale development of trisonic intercontinental cruise missiles.

• Authorisation for development of Soviet intermediate and intercontinental range missiles. Nation: USSR. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 'On approval of work on themes T1 and T2, on approval of work on the R-5, R-11, and EKR missiles, and on transferring draft project work for the R-12 from NII-88 to SKB-586' was issued. The decree set forth three phases of state trials tests for the R-5 missile.References: 474.

• Semenov, Yu. P., S P Korolev Space Corporation Energia, RKK Energia, 1994. ISBN: 1896522815. Dual English/Russian language picture book of the history of the Energia Corporation. Many unique photos and drawings of Korolev's rockets and spacecraft. Republished by Apogee books in 2000. More at amazon.com...

• Vetrov, G S, S. P. Korolev i evo delo, Nauka, Moscow, 1998. ISBN: 5020036846. The collected papers of Soviet Chief Designer Korolev. A tremendous source of new information and insight on the Soviet space program. Russian language. More at amazon.com...