VKS-R

Winged orbital launch vehicle. Family:

RKK Energia's proposed solution to the Soviet government's MVKS requirement for a single-stage-to-orbit reusable aerospaceplane system was this 700-metric-ton, turboramjet/rocket mised propulsion design. Work began in 1986 but abandoned when the Soviet Union collapsed.

In reaction to US X-30 project, government decrees of 27 January and 19 July 1986 ordered development of a Soviet equivalent. The Ministry of Defense issued technical specifications on 1 September for an MVKS, a single-stage reusable aerospaceplane system. The MKVS was to provide effective and economic delivery to near-earth orbit; develop the technology for effective transatmospheric flight; provide super high-speed intercontinental transport, and fulfill military objectives in and from space. It is known that the Tupolev, Yakovlev, and Energia design bureaus submitted designs.

At NPO Energia Tsybin was appointed the Chief Designer for the project. The Energia VKS was designed as a hypersonic rocketplane with multi-regime engines. These engines were turbo-ramjet with in-line rocket chambers. The VKS was sketched out as having a 700 metric ton takeoff mass, of which 140 metric tons was structure. A 25 metric ton payload could be delivered to a 200 km / 51 degree orbit. Length would have been 71 m, wingspan 42 m, and height 10 m to the top of the fuselage.

Work was abandoned as the Soviet Union broke up. In any case the Tupolev Tu-2000 seemed the preferred solution and had been funded for development of a subscale prototype.

Manufacturer: Korolev. LEO Payload: 25,000 kg (55,000 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Associated Spacecraft: VKS. Total Mass: 700,000 kg (1,540,000 lb). Core Diameter: 10.00 m (32.00 ft). Total Length: 71.00 m (232.00 ft). Version:

VKS-D. Status: Study 1988.

Air launched from An-225. Release conditions: Piggy-back, 275,000 kg, 38.0 m length x 24.0 m wingspan, 900 kph at 9,500 m altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 270 m/s.

Manufacturer: Molniya. LEO Payload: 6,000 kg (13,200 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Total Mass: 275,000 kg (606,000 lb). Version:

VKS-DM. Status: Study 1988.

Air launched from Gerakl / NPO Molniya-1000 heavy-lift aircraft, catamaran layout, twin-fuselage triplane. Release conditions: Suspended load, 450,000 kg, 900 kph at 9,500 m altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 270 m/s.

Manufacturer: Molniya. to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Total Mass: 450,000 kg (990,000 lb). Version:

VKS-G. Status: Study 1988.

Air launched from Kholod Mach 5 mother ship. This was a Mikoyan supersonic cargo aircraft, designed from Spiral 50-50 design. Combined-cycle turbo-ramjet engine. Release conditions: Piggy-back, 200,000 kg, Mach 5 at 25 to 30 km altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 1130 m/s. It was concluded that the extensive development would be required for the combination-cycle engines, resulting in an extended development schedule and high technical risk. The more conservative subsonic-launched MAKS was chosen instead.

Manufacturer: Molniya. LEO Payload: 21,000 kg (46,000 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Version:

VKS-O. Status: Study 1988.

Vertical takeoff, ballistic re-entry, single-stage-to-orbit, Lox/Kerosene/LH2 tripropellant rocket engine powered, reusable launch vehicle. 550 tonne and 770 tonne gross lift-off mass versions considered. For the 550 tonne version, dry mass of the launch vehicle would have to be 68,700 kg / 18 percent of the gross, with payload 8,500 kg / 1.5 percent of the growth. Payload would range from 2000 to 10,000 kg depending on the uncertainties in weight growth of the design during development. As in other vertically-launched SSTO designs, this was considered too great a risk, and the air-launched MAKS was selected instead. Velocity loss during ascent estimated at 1665 m/s compared to 1168 m/s for MAKS (payload 3.1% of gross).

Manufacturer: Molniya. LEO Payload: 8,500 kg (18,700 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Total Mass: 550,000 kg (1,210,000 lb). Version:

VKS-R. Status: Study 1988.

Sled launched, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, Lox/LH2 launch vehicle. 290 tonne and 550 tonne versions considered. Studied in tradeoff studies leading to MAKS. Release conditions: Piggy-back, 290,000 kg, Mach 0.5, zero altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 100 m/s. The wheeled sled would get the vehicle up to a velocity where the wings could provide lift, allowing lower-thrust engines to be used than in a vertical-takeoff design. This saved weight, but velocity losses during lifting flight to orbit almost cancelled the advantage, resulting in the approach being unattractive in comparison to pure vertical-launch or air-launch designs.

Manufacturer: Molniya. LEO Payload: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Total Mass: 290,000 kg (630,000 lb). Version:

VKS-RTO+ZhRD.

VKS - Mixed

Status: Study 1988.

Horizontal takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, launch vehicle. Mixed rocket / ramjet propulsion.

Manufacturer: Molniya. LEO Payload: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Total Mass: 770,000 kg (1,690,000 lb). Version:

VKS-V.

VKS-O

Status: Study 1988.

Vertical takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, Lox/Kerosene/LH2 tripropellant rocket engine powered vehicle. 550 tonne gross liftoff mass and 1000 tonne versions studied. Analogous to NASA's Shuttle-2 and RKK Energia's VKS. For the 550 tonne version, dry mass of the launch vehicle would have to be 67,700 kg, with payload 7,500 kg / 1.4 percent of the growth. Payload could therefore be zero depending on the uncertainties in weight growth of the design during development. As in other vertically-launched SSTO designs, this was considered too great a risk, and the air-launched MAKS was selected instead. Velocity loss during ascent estimated at 1619 m/s compared to 1168 m/s for MAKS (payload 3.1% of gross).

Manufacturer: Molniya. LEO Payload: 7,500 kg (16,500 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Total Mass: 550,000 kg (1,210,000 lb). Version:

VKS-ZhRD+GPVRD.

VKS - Rocket

Status: Study 1988.

Horizontal takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, launch vehicle. Mixed rocket / scramjet propulsion.

Manufacturer: Molniya. to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.00 degrees. Total Mass: 770,000 kg (1,690,000 lb).

1986 January 27 - Government decree orders design of a Soviet aerospaceplane Spacecraft: Tu-2000, Yakovlev MVKS, VKS. In reaction to US X-30 project government decree ordered development of a Soviet equivalent.

1986 July 19 - Government decree orders development of a Soviet aerospaceplane Spacecraft: Tu-2000, Yakovlev MVKS, VKS. The decree of 27 January 1986 was reaffirmed.

1986 September - MVKS specification issued Spacecraft: Tu-2000, Yakovlev MVKS, VKS. The Ministry of Defence issued technical specifications on 1 September for an MVKS, a single-stage reusable aerospaceplane system. The MKVS was to provide effective and economic delivery to near-earth orbit; develop the technology for effective transatmospheric flight; provide super high-speed intercontinental transport, and fulfil military objectives in and from space.

1992 December 18 - First flight of Molniya-1 triplane. Subscale proof-of-concept vehicle for Gerakl / Molniya-1000 catamaran subsonic 900 tonne aircraft design that would be used for VKS-DM spaceplane.