Samara Scientists and Students Will Develop Components of the Ultralight Launch Vehicle “Voronezh”

Samara University joined the project for creating the Russian ultralight launch vehicle Voronezh. This rocket is designed to launch into low-Earth orbits small-sized spacecrafts (SSS) having their total weight of up to 250 kg. Creating such a launch vehicle will reduce the cost of launching spacecrafts into space, which will ultimately help increase the number of satellites in Russian orbital groupings.

The project is implemented by LLC “3D Research and Development”, the investors are the Foundation “Voskhod” (the Interros Group) and the NTI Strategic Technology Foundation. Samara University has become one of the project co-executors. Scientists and students will develop a number of important components of the future rocket, including the propulsion plant of the second-stage control system of the launch vehicle and the pneumatic hydraulic circuit of the first-stage engine. The development is carried out by the University’s Engineering Centre.

“At present, in our country, several projects of light and ultralight launch vehicles are being developing. Our cosmonautics is very needed these carriers, for reducing the cost of launching small-sized spacecrafts, such as satellites, nanosatellites; now these devices are launched into space from “large” launch vehicles, as associated cargo, which is quite expensive. The “Voronezh” ultralight two-stage carrier project has already been implemented, and it is currently at the preliminary design stage. Our scientists and students take part in the preliminary design of the fuel system, the so-called pneumatic hydraulic circuit of the main cruising engine of the first stage of the carrier, with the engine itself to be developed at “UEC-Kuznetsov”. Our University is also designing the propulsion plant for the second-stage control system of the launch vehicle. This plant will consist of three gas engines placed on three different axes, it will be responsible for changing the launch vehicle orientation in space, that is, it will help bring satellites exactly into a given orbit”, said Valery Poptsov, Senior Researcher at the Research Centre “Space Energy”, a leading employee of Samara University’s Engineering Centre.

According to Valery Poptsov, “Voronezh” will be able to launch cargo weighing up to 250 kg into orbits 400–500 km high. The launch vehicle’s body is expected to be no more than 30 m high. In future, there are also plans to create a three-stage modification of the launch vehicle, for launching satellites into higher orbits.

Launching the ultralight rocket is planned from the Vostochny cosmodrome. A special ground launch system will be developed for the launch vehicle. By 2030, the “Voronezh” launch program is estimated at about 20 launches per year.

“Recently, our University hosted an extended scientific and technical meeting dedicated to this project implementation. The meeting was participated by representatives of various leading enterprises of the country’s aerospace industry, including RSC Energia, TsNIIMash, UEC. The plans for the project implementation presented by us and the very first results of the preliminary design were fully approved by the meeting participants, which resulted in signing a number of documents. Working on the project continues, with our student design bureau “Phoenix” to be actively involved. The preliminary design stage is scheduled to take about a year”, noted Ivan Zubrilin, Director of Samara University’s Engineering Centre.

For reference

The Engineering Centre of Samara University was established in 2021, following the results of the open competition for grants in the form of subsidies from the federal funds for establishment and development of engineering centres in Russia arranged by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

The Engineering Centre priority areas of work include developing digital intelligent technologies for mechanical engineering, developing digital twins of promising gas-turbine engines and plants, as well as developing additive technologies and industrial robotics, making solutions for unmanned aerial vehicles, training and re-training high-grade specialists for propulsion engineering enterprises of Russia.