MOSCOW, Aug. 31 2001 – The following is adapted from a Khrunichev press release: Energomash successfully completed the second fire test of the RD-191 engine on 28 August. In accordance with the program the test duration was 10 seconds. The engine is being developed to use in the first stage of the Angara family LV including reusable stage booster Baikal.

RD-191 is a Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine consuming LOX and kerosene with after-burning of oxidizing gas-generator gas in the main combustion chamber. The engine has been designed based on the engines RD-170 and RD-171 developed for LV Energia and Zenit accordingly. RD-191 is a one chamber engine unlike four-chamber RD-170 and RD-171. The engine is equipped with a new turbo-pump of less power, one gas generator and a new system of propellant consumption rate control. Regulating of the thrust vector is provided through deflection of the main combustion chamber in two planes.

In March 1999 the engine mockup was delivered to Khrunichev Space Center for integration of interface between the engine and LV. The engine was demonstrated in the Paris Air Show in 1999 and 2001 and at the MAKS-2001 Air Show in Zhukovski being mounted on LV Angara and Baikal.

The main performances of the engine are as follows:

Oxidizer – LOX
Fuel – kerosene
Propellant mixture ratio – 2.63 (LOX/RP)
Thrust at sea level = 196 t
Thrust in vacuum = 212.6 t
Specific Impulse at sea level = 310.7 s
Specific Impulse in vacuum = 337 s

To provide the most efficient mission profile the engine is capable to regulate the thrust in the range 30% to 100% of nominal value.