RD-0120
The RD-0120 was the Energia core rocket engine, fueled by LH/LOX, roughly equivalent to the RS-25. These were attached to the Energia core rather than the orbiter, so were not recoverable after a flight, but created a more modular design. The RD-0120 and the RS-25 have both similarities and differences. The RD-0120 achieved a slightly higher specific impulse and combustion chamber pressure with reduced complexity and cost, as compared to the RS-25. It uses a fuel-rich staged combustion cycle and a single shaft to drive both the fuel and oxidizer turbopumps. Some of the Russian design features, such as the simpler and cheaper channel wall nozzles, were evaluated by Rocketdyne for possible upgrades to the RS-25. It achieved combustion stability without the acoustic resonance chambers that the RS-25 required.
Specifications
RD-0120
- Thrust at 106% throttle :, :
- Specific impulse :, :
- Burn time: nominal 480–500s, certified for 1670s
- Basic engine weight:
- Length: 4.55m, diameter: 2.42m
- Propellants: LOX / LH
- Mixture ratio: 6:1
- Contractor: Chemical Automatics Design Bureau
- Vehicle application: Energia core stage.