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RD-180—Or Bust?

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RD-180—Or Bust? RD-180—or By Autumn A. Arnett, Associate Editor As it stands, the US could sustain its Bust? manifest for two years with the current supply of RD-180 engines. But a new he United States’ sustained access he doesn’t really know what that R&D engine could take seven or more years to space is in question. Heavily amounts to, but said he is hopeful the to be operational, making LaPlante’s Treliant on the Russian-made En- partnership will mean a new engine on “$64 million question” a “hydra-headed ergomash RD-180 engine to power its the market soon. monster,” in the words of former AFSPC launches, US military space personnel “Three years of development is better Commander Gen. William L. Shelton. are looking for a replacement because than starting at ground zero,” Hyten said. “I don’t think we build the world’s best of the tense and uncertain status of “If we start at ground zero to build a rocket engine,” Shelton said last July. “I American and Russian relations. new engine in the hydrocarbon technology would love for us as a nation to regain the Funds are already being appropriated area we’re fi ve years away from produc- lead in liquid rocket propulsion.” for research and development of a new tion, roughly, maybe four, maybe six. Both LaPlante and Hyten are propo- engine, but Gen. John E. Hyten, com- The one thing you would have to do is nents of the United States continuing to mander of Air Force Space Command, spend the next year or two driving down fund research and development of a new considers the issue to be urgent. He told the technology risk so you can actually engine type, regardless of the relationship reporters at the Air Force Association’s build that.” with Russia. Air & Space Conference in National The space chief went on to say the “The United States should lead the Harbor, Md., in September that he’d like possibility of a natural gas-powered world in every engine technology there to have a US alternative to the RD-180 engine is exciting, primarily because of is,” said Hyten, who said he believes the “yesterday.” the “ease of acquiring, supporting, and US has achieved this in both solid and “Every time I look at [the Atlas V], operating” the new technology, in addition liquid-oxygen/hydrogen engine types. it’s the most beautiful rocket that I’ve to the potential propulsion capabilities. “But in hydrocarbon technology, the ever seen. It’s gorgeous. Then as it lifts “That kind of technology has been Russians have the best engine in the … I look and I see a Russian engine on exciting to me personally for a long time. world. I think that we ought to have the the bottom,” he said. “And it just doesn’t … Nobody’s been able to make it real best engine in the world, so I think we seem right. I would prefer that there not yet, not at the scale they’re looking at.” ought to have a technology program that be a Russian engine on the bottom of it, Another group, Aerojet Rocketdyne looks into that and builds an engine to but there is.” and Dynetics, is engaged in a risk reduc- do that,” he said. But how does the Air Force replace the tion program with NASA and would also LaPlante said there could be policy Russian engine that propels the Atlas V? vie for eventual launch contracts. implications of moving forward with There is not yet an answer, Hyten said. William A. LaPlante, assistant sec- production of another engine, given that A wide range of experts—from the Air retary of the Air Force for acquisition, the delivery of the RD-180s has not been Force to industry—is looking for solu- said the fi eld is wide open. Calling the interrupted. Still, “before we even get to tions. “We don’t know how the restrictions matter of deciding on a new engine type that point, we have to see what we can are going to come out. We don’t know how “the $64 million question,” LaPlante said, do” to assure access to space. ✪ the relationship with Russia’s going to “We deliberately kept it not restricted to a come out. So we’re looking at everything, certain engine type. We’ll look at solids, [including] potentially moving satellites look at liquid hydrogen, we’ll look at from Atlas to Delta.” [liquid-oxygen]/hydrocarbon.” A gas generator for Aerojet Rocket- One recent development in which LaPlante said the Pentagon is operating dyne and Dynetics is tested at NASA’s Hyten sees potential is the recently an- on an “accelerated acquisition strategy” Marshall Space Flight Center, Hunts- nounced partnership between United to fi nd an engine replacement, but that ville, Ala. Launch Alliance and Blue Origin to looking ahead to Fiscal 2015, he would develop the BE-4, a liquid oxygen/lique- like to have established, at minimum, fi ed natural gas-powered engine many are a plan for risk mitigation and an actual hoping will replace the RD-180. acquisition strategy. “I think one way Blue Origin, headed by Amazon.com or the other, in about a year from now, founder Jeff Bezos, has been working we’re going to need to have in place this on research and development and risk strategy … so it’s a pretty rapid thing that analysis for three years. Hyten admits we have to do.” Photo via Scribe Strategies Defense 51 AIR FORCE Magazine / November 201451.
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