All news

Russian space contractor delivers RD-181 rocket engines to US

The US intends to mount the Russian engines on the first stages of Antares carrier rockets

MOSCOW, March 31. /TASS/. Russia’s Energomash rocket engine manufacturer has delivered a batch of three RD-181 engines to US Orbital ATK, the Energomash press office reported on Friday.

"On March 29, the engines were delivered by air to the United States where the sides signed acceptance/delivery certificates," the press office said.

The US aerospace firm Orbital ATK intends to mount the Russian engines on the first stages of Antares carrier rockets for cargo deliveries to the International Space Station.

The RD-181 is a one-chamber liquid-propellant rocket engine with a vertically-installed turbo-pump unit. Energomash signed a contract with Orbital ATK in December 2014 for the delivery of rocket engines. Design documentation for these engines was issued in the same year and their first firing tests were held in early 2015. In May 2015, the certification of these engines was successfully completed.

Tags