Energia M Credit - © Mark Wade Media Gallery

Launch vehicle originally designed in the 1980's to fullfill the third generation 20-30 tonnes to orbit launcher requirement. It was an adaptation of the Energia launch vehicle, using two strap-on booster units instead of four, and a reduced-diameter core using a single RD-0120 engine instead of four. In the 1990's a structural test article was built and it was proposed that several Energia-M's be launched for commercial customers using surplus Energia components. No buyers came forward for the untested design. It was later proposed as an alternate for the Angara launch vehicle, but it was not accepted for that role since Angara was to be an all-Russian design (the Energia boosters were built in Ukraine).

Manufacturer: Korolev. LEO Payload: 34,000 kg (74,000 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. Associated Spacecraft: OK-M2. Liftoff Thrust: 16,015.800 kN (3,600,495 lbf). Total Mass: 1,022,800 kg (2,254,800 lb). Core Diameter: 7.70 m (25.20 ft). Total Length: 24.00 m (78.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 80.000 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.

• Stage Number: 0. 2 x Stage: 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: Development ended 1993. Essentially identical to Zenit stage 1.

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Energia M. Gross Mass: 272,000 kg (599,000 lb). Empty Mass: 28,000 kg (61,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 1,960.000 kN (440,620 lbf). Isp: 455 sec. Burn time: 550 sec. Isp(sl): 352 sec. Diameter: 7.70 m (25.20 ft). Span: 7.70 m (25.20 ft). Length: 20.00 m (65.00 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 1. Engine: RD-0120M. Status: Development ended 1993.

• Isakowitz, Steven J,, International Reference to Space Launch Systems Second Edition, AIAA, Washington DC, 1991 (succeeded by 2000 edition). ISBN: 1563473534. Superseded by the later editions. More at amazon.com...

• 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...