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 The Russian NK-33 was modified and renamed the AJ26-58 by Aerojet. This AJ26-58 is shown on the test stand at John C. Stennis Space Center. | |
| Country of origin | Soviet Union |
|---|---|
| Date | 1970s |
| Designer | Kuznetsov Design Bureau |
| Manufacturer | JSC Kuznetsov (Mashinostroitel) |
| Application | 1st/2nd-stage engine |
| Associated LV | |
| Predecessor | NK-15, NK-15V |
| Successor | AJ26-58, AJ26-59, AJ26-62 |
| Liquid-fuel engine | |
| Propellant | LOX / RP-1 |
| Cycle | Staged combustion |
| Pumps | Turbopump |
| Performance | |
| Thrust, vacuum | 1,680 kN (380,000 lbf) |
| Thrust, sea-level | 1,510 kN (340,000 lbf) |
| Throttle range | 50–105% |
| Thrust-to-weight ratio | 137 |
| Chamber pressure | 14.83 MPa (2,151 psi) |
| Specific impulse, vacuum | 331 s (3.25 km/s) |
| Specific impulse, sea-level | 297 s (2.91 km/s) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 3.7 m (12 ft) |
| Diameter | 2 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Dry mass | 1,240 kg (2,730 lb) |
| References | |
| References | [1] |
The NK-33 (GRAU index: 14D15) and its vacuum-optimized variant, the NK-43, are rocket engines developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by the Kuznetsov Design Bureau for the Soviet space program's ill-fated N1 Moon rocket. The NK-33 is among the most powerful LOX/RP-1 powered rocket engines ever built, noted for its high specific impulse and low structural mass.
The NK-33 was an improved version of the earlier NK-15 engine, which powered the original N1 launch vehicle. Key upgrades included simplified pneumatic and hydraulic systems, advanced controls, enhanced turbopumps, an improved combustion chamber, fewer interfaces employing pyrotechnic devices, and modified interfaces to facilitate replacement of parts during refurbishment.
Each N1F rocket would have utilized 30 NK-33 engines on its first stage and eight NK-43 engines on its second stage. Consequently, when the Soviet Union aborted its lunar landing effort in 1974, dozens already manufactured engines were left in storage. Decades later, they found new life powering the first stage of the American Antares 100 rocket and the Russian Soyuz-2.1v. Once the supply of NK-33 engines is exhausted, Russia plans to replace them with the newer RD-193 engine.
- ^ "LRE NC-33 (11D111) and NC-43 (11D112)" (in Russian). Retrieved 1 April 2015.