Roscosmos Explores Making Angara Booster Reusable
MOSCOW (Roscosmos PR) — Roscosmos continues working to create Angara carrier rocket modifications for the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
On June 30, 2020, amendments to the Amur design and development work state contract were introduced. The amendments include the works to modernize and further develop Angara family (Angara-A5M being a modernized version of the Angara-A5 rocket), as well as higher load capacity Angara-A5V rocket draft project (with hydrogen-oxygen powered third stage). Given that, the Angara-A5VM variant will be reviewed with reusable stages.
A number of design improvements will be implemented by 2024 when flight tests due to begin. Among them there are cutting the rocket structure weight, rocket engine and control system modernization, as well as employing modern production and testing technologies.
3 responses to “Roscosmos Explores Making Angara Booster Reusable”
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They have several options. They could dig into Zenit’s Energya booster heritage and go with parachutes and landing bags or landing gear. But the mention of improving the mass ratio of dry mass to prop mass implies they’re going to go the way of Falcon 9. Angara is well suited to either approach. I think they’ll need new smaller engines for vertical landings with independent turbopumps. Well, Angara took 30 years, let’s see how long this takes.
I am sorry. with the current technical and financial state of russian aerospace this is comical. its just a hoot…never going to happen.
Oh, I can’t argue with that. We’ve been hearing about the launch pad out in Siberia being built for what …. 4 or so years now? You’re right. But we’ll at least get a view graph. And I mean view graph in it’s 1990’s connotation. We’ll at least get that. The Soviets took the parachute – landing bag/landing gear concept pretty far for the Zenit strap on. I at least want to see the view graph for that option on Angara.