Tests of Oxygen-Hydrogen Engine for Russia's Angara Shifted to 2020-2021 - Testing Center

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th December, 2019) Tests of the oxygen-hydrogen rocket engine RD-0146D for a oxygen-hydrogen booster of heavy-class Angara-family launch vehicles have been rescheduled for 2020-2021, materials of Russia's Research and Testing Center of the Rocket and Space Industry, which is Roscosmos' subsidiary, said.

The oxygen-hydrogen booster will be used on Angara-A5V and Angara-A5B heavy lift launch vehicles. In October, Sergey Kuznetsov, the chief designer at the Salyut Special Design Bureau, told Sputnik that flight tests of the booster might begin in 2027 if the necessary funding was allocated.

"Works at a V2b stand [of the Research and Testing Center] continue to prepare it for RD-0146D engine tests that are rescheduled for 2020-2021," the materials obtained by Sputnik read.

The RD-0146D engine is being developed since 2008, according to Energomash rocket engine manufacturer.

Angara is a name for environmentally friendly carrier rockets of various classes. It includes Angara-1.2 light carriers, Angara-A3 medium carriers, Angara-A5 heavy carriers and Angara-A5V carriers with increased carrying capacity.