Competition for replacing the RD – 180: passions

Aerojet Rocketdyne is testing the AR1 engine gas generator at NASA's John Stennis Space Center as part of its engineering design verification, Mississippi. Photo Aerojet Rocketdyne.

The rivalry between rocket engines AR1 from Aerojet Rocketdyne (thrust ~ 226 ts) and BE – 4 from Blue Origin (thrust ~ 249 ts) becomes very sharp, due to the fact that AR1 went to the stage of preparing the technical design, and BE – 4 goes full-size bench fire tests.


Kerosene AR1 and methane BE – 4 are considered as a replacement for the Russian RD-180 engine (thrust from 390 to 423 tonnes) for installation on an Atlas V rocket, developed under the US Air Force EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) program and used for solving problems of US national security.
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Last week, Aerojet Rocketdyne stated that a gas generator for the AR1 with oxygen as a generator gas was successfully tested on a firing stand, and such a device is a characteristic structural feature of a closed-cycle liquid-propellant rocket engine (which also includes RD-180)
The site is distinguished by two specific “chips” from Rocketdyne: the complex use of 3D printing to create parts and the use of the high-temperature resistance of the proprietary nickel-based Mondalloy alloy.

Thus, this test brought up to 22 the number of key engine components that entered the stage of technical design, as a result of which the final technical design of the engine would hardly be fully delayed. In the case of a positive review, the AR1 will continue to move - first to showcase a working prototype next year, and after that - to certify the engine, followed by launch into mass production, scheduled for 2019.
“This is an important milestone in making AR1 ready for full-scale use in 2019,” said Aerojet Rocketdyne President and CEO Eileen Drake.

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In fact, engine manufacturers are pretty nervous since the United States government and the main launch contractor, the United Launch Alliance, decided that the next step in the development of new generations of the RN will be the creation of an American-made PH that does not use the RD-180.

AR – 1 on the fuel vapor liquid oxygen / kerosene is positioned as a way to eliminate dependence on Russia in the area of ​​military launches as quickly as possible and with the least risks. The manufacturing company claims that it can continue to run Atlas V without changing the diameter of the first stage due to the elongation of its tanks, the upgrade of the avionics and some modifications of the second stage. In addition, the same fuel is used as that of the Russian engine, making it possible to get along with minimal changes in the starting-filling complex.

The Blue Origin engine uses methane as fuel and was originally developed for the New Glenn rocket, after successfully using the BE-3 engine on the suborbital carrier New Shepard. In addition, BE – 4 is planned for the new RV Vulcan, which is also being created to solve national security problems. The ULA has repeatedly stated that BE-4 is preferable, but AR1 is nonetheless a quite likely substitute.

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Blue Origin began developing BE-4 in 2011, ahead of Aerojet Rocketdyne, but Bezos had never created engines for missiles with military tasks, and any serious technical failure or failure to meet deadlines could suddenly bring AR1 to the first place in the race.
If ULA prefers BE – 4 for Vulcan, and Atlas V continues to run with the help of RD – 180, AR1 will remain out of work, despite the millions spent by the government and the developer.

However, Blue Origin has so far rejected many attempts to clarify the current state of the project. At the same time, the testing of the tests does not allow the ULA to unconditionally reject the engine, since the ULA cannot properly design and evaluate the Vulcan on the BE-4 base until it receives specifications for the specifications that have been unequivocally confirmed by tests.
“We presented your request at a general management meeting,” said Blue Origin’s public relations representative, dated May 4, “Unfortunately, although they are pleased to be mentioned in the article, they have absolutely nothing to say at the moment.”

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The Air Force, for its part, closely monitors the development and testing of BE-4 due to the fact that, firstly, they cannot directly influence the choice of ULA in relation to the engine for Vulcan, and secondly, the method of sending important governmental satellites into orbit have long been turned from “buying missiles” into “buying launch services”. Thanks to this policy, companies declare a price for the volume of delivery tasks, and not for the number of missiles used.

Claire Leon, who heads the launch and ground systems management of the Center for Space and Rocket Systems, said in a recent interview that the ULA is at a fork in which BE-4 is the primary option, and AR1 is a “siding, in case something goes So".
She also said that the ULA instructed the government to “fully transparently” inform the government on what grounds the decision would be made, and provide a “no-one barring” report for detailed consideration.

“They will not receive any benefit from the wrong choice, because a client who is not satisfied with the choice will not bring them benefits,” Claire said. “We intend to make our own assessment and look forward to cooperating on this issue. It will be strange if we eventually do not come to a mutual agreement. ”

Congress, however, is concerned about the lack of decision-making power for the Air Force, despite extensive public investment in the development of AR1 and support for ULA cooperation with Blue Origin in the creation of BE-4.

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In 2015, the Air Force signed an agreement on cooperation between the state and the private company Aerojet Rocketdyne for the development of AR1 totaling up to $ 800 million, in the case of all the stated tasks. According to the agreement, the Air Force can invest up to 536 million, and Aerojet Rocketdyne up to 268 million. Therefore, Aerojet Rocketdyne is naturally worried about whether the contract will not be frozen after the completion of the technical project, if the ULA prefers BE – 4, and the Atlas V remoter will not take place.

In addition, government funding is also gradually leaking to BE – 4, since 98% of the money provided by the Air Force’s public-private partnership with ULA goes to engine development. The total possible government investment with all the options can be about $ 202 million, and ULA will invest another 134 million. However, some of this amount will definitely go to the upper stage on the cryogenic components ACES (Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage) from ULA, which was successfully used as the second stage in the Atlas V – Centaur

The Air Force claims that this redirection of funds gave some "inner knowledge" of what was happening in Blue Origin, and that the company had made good progress. However, the Air Force nevertheless states that a decision on the engine cannot be made until obtaining “unambiguous results” after full-scale tests.

Source: AviationWeek
Posted by: James Drew