Soyuz-7 (rocket family)

Soyuz-7[1]
Amur rocket at RUSSIA exibition
FunctionPartially reusable orbital medium-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer
Country of originRussia
Project costUS$900 million[2]
Cost per launchUS$22 million (planned)
Size
Height55 m (180 ft)
Diameter4.1 m (13 ft)[3]
Mass360,000 kg (790,000 lb)
Stages2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
MassReusable: 10,500 kg (23,100 lb)
Expendable: 13,600 kg (30,000 lb)
Associated rockets
ComparableSoyuz-2 (rocket)
Launch history
StatusIn development
Launch sitesVostochny Cosmodrome
First flight2028–2030 (planned)[4]
First stage
Diameter4.1 m (13 ft)[3]
Powered by5 RD-0169[3][5]
Maximum thrust3,330 kN (750,000 lbf)[6]
Specific impulseSea Level:321 seconds
Vacuum: 356 seconds
PropellantCH4 / LOX[7]
Second stage
Diameter4.1 m (13 ft)[3]
Powered byRD-0169[7]
Maximum thrust737 kN (166,000 lbf)[6]
PropellantCH4 / LOX[7]

The Soyuz-7 (Russian: Союз-7) or Amur (Russian: Аму́р) is a partially-reusable, methane–fueled, orbital launch vehicle currently in the design concept stage of development by the Roscosmos State Corporation in Russia. The preliminary design process began in October 2020, with operational flights planned for no earlier than 2028.[4] Amur is intended to substitute for the existing Soyuz-2, at a much lower per launch cost.[8]

This is a proposed family of new Russian rockets proposed by JSC SRC Progress in the mid-2010s, to replace the legacy Soyuz for launch after the early 2020s. JSC SRC Progress had been the manufacturer and custodian of the Soyuz family design for many decades.[9] The new design concept was a part of Project Feniks (Russian: Феникс, lit.'Fenix').[not verified in body] While all previous iterations of the Soyuz family had their roots firmly set on the R-7 ICBM legacy, the new rocket, designated Soyuz-7 in 2013, was to be a completely new design from the ground up. The proposed new design was to be based on a new propellant: LOX and liquid methane, use a new tank structure, new propulsion, and would do away with the famous Korolev Cross, and have thrust vector control in the main engine rather than using vernier engines.[9] It was conceived in 2013 to be a scalable family with three versions covering the medium to heavy payload ranges.[9]

The project would help to assure access to space for Russia by acting as a backup launcher in the event of problems with the Angara rocket family.[7]

As conceived in the mid-2010s, the smallest version was to be a 270-tonne rocket, intended as a replacement of the Soyuz-2 rocket, with an expected payload to LEO of 9 t (9,000 kg). It will use a single RD-0164 engine on the first stage, and a RD-0169 engine on the second.[10] The first engineering design was expected to be completed by 2016,[needs update] and the first flight expected as early as 2022.[citation needed] The use of just two stages for the base version, and the simplification of subsystems was intended to product a more reliable and less-expensive launch vehicle, with the lightest version expected to be cheaper than the Soyuz-2.[11]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference soyuz7-0717 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Berger, Eric (6 October 2020). "Russian space corporation unveils planned "Amur" rocket—and it looks familiar". arstechnica. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference spaceresearchandtech-2013n3p47 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "Первый пуск метановой ракеты "Амур" планируется в 2028-2030 годах" [The first launch of the Amur methane rocket is planned for 2028-2030]. TASS (in Russian). 27 July 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference kbkha-annualreport2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference kbkha-annualreport2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference ria-1190701345 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference ars20201007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference rsw-soyuz5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference tass-791963 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference spaceflightinsider-20150820 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).