RD-0410 (РД-0410, GRAU index: 11B91) was a Soviet nuclear thermal rocket engine developed from 1965 through the 1980s using liquid hydrogen propellant.[1] The engine was ground-tested at the Semipalatinsk Test Site,[2] and its use was incorporated in the Kurchatov Mars 1994 manned mission proposal.[1]
This engine had slightly higher performance (exhaust temperature and specific impulse) over NERVA, but much less thrust, only 35,2 kN. The design of the reactor core included thermal insulation between uranium carbide/tungsten carbide fuel and the zirconium hydride moderator. This solution allowed for a very compact reactor core design. Hydrogen flow cooled the moderator first allowing to keep very low neutron energy and high fission cross-section, then it was heated by the direct contact to the fuel rods. To prevent the chemical reaction between carbide and hydrogen, about 1 pct of heptane was added to the hydrogen after the moderator passage.
The hydrogen boost turbopump was designed by KBKhA.[3]
See also[]
- NERVA, the American project for nuclear thermal propulsion
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wade, Mark. "RD-0410". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/engines/rd0410.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
- ↑ ""Konstruktorskoe Buro Khimavtomatiky" - Scientific-Research Complex / RD0410. Nuclear Rocket Engine. Advanced launch vehicles". KBKhA - Chemical Automatics Design Bureau. http://www.kbkha.ru/?p=8&cat=11&prod=66. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
- ↑ Demyanenko, Y.; A. Dmitrenko, A. Ivanov, V. Pershin, A.Shostak, G. Zelkind, A. Minick, R. Bracken (July 2005). "Ground Test Demonstrator Engine Boost Turbopumps Design and Development". Tucson, Arizona: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.,. http://www.lpre.de/resources/articles/RD0146_Boost_Pump_2005_3945.pdf. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
Further reading[]
- Soviet Mars Propulsion - Nuclear Thermal astronautix.com
- Popular Mechanics article in Russian
- Russian article
The original article can be found at RD-0410 and the edit history here.