Roscosmos / TsSKB Progress Amur reusable rocket

I wouldn't bother chasing Musk. If you want to compete, you need to leapfrog. And Amur is definitely chasing just based on looks.

Amur Rocket.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dilandu said:
I hope... but frankly, I wouldn't put my money into it. Roskosmos is notorious for constant goalpost-moving to such extent, that it may better be called goalpost-juggling.
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth - over the past 30 years they seem to have basically done the first 20% of the effort required to bring a new rocket into service dozens of times over. Which means they spent 100% several times over, but with nothing to show for it - one of these days they're going to have to just pick one concept and stick with it to the end!
 
There is a sort of "closed circle" in that.
Musk founded the most "Russian" (technological speaking) of the American space companies, and now Russians chase after him.

If you look closely to Falcon 9 features and technologies, you can easily read between the lines some Russian ancestors:

1. RP1/LOX engines
2. Grid fins
3. Orizzontal assembly (Russian) vs vertical assembly (American)
4. Short turnaround on the pad
5. Heavily automated spacecraft (astronaut like passenger, typical Russian) vs heavily piloted spacecraft (astronaut like space jockey, typical American)
6. Powered capsule landing (originally envisioned for Dragon 2, conceptually derived by Zarya KK of late 80's)

What else?
 
Oxygen-rich staged-combustion on the oxidizer-side turbopump in Raptor. There are many parallels between Falcon 9 and Zenit (although it's primarily Ukrainian, of course) in general terms, Elon Musk once singled it out as his favourite SLV, I believe.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom