Space rocket. Russian and US space missiles

To date, the Russian Federation has the most powerful space industry in the world. Russia is the unconditional leader in the field of manned space exploration and, moreover, has parity with the US in space navigation issues. Some of the backlogs of our country exist only in studies of distant interplanetary spaces, as well as in the development of remote sensing of the Earth.

History

The space rocket was first conceived by Russian scientists Tsiolkovsky and Meshchersky. They also in the years 1897-1903 created the theory of its flight. Much later, this direction began to develop foreign scientists. They were the Germans von Braun and Obert, as well as the American Goddard. In the peaceful interwar period, only three countries in the world were engaged in the issue of jet propulsion, as well as the creation of solid fuel and liquid engines for this purpose. They were Russia, the USA and Germany.

By the 1940s, our country could be proud of the successes achieved in the creation of solid fuel engines. This allowed during the Second World War to use such formidable weapons as "Katyusha." As for the creation of large rockets equipped with liquid engines, Germany was the leader here. It was in this country that the "V-2" was adopted. These are the first ballistic missiles that have a short range. During the Second World War, the "V-2" was used for the bombing of England.

After the victory of the USSR over Hitler Germany, the main team of Werner von Braun under his direct leadership deployed its activities in the United States. In doing so, they took with them from the defeated country all the previously developed drawings and calculations, on the basis of which a space rocket was to be built. Only a small part of the team of German engineers and scientists continued their work in the USSR until the mid-1950s. At their disposal were separate parts of the technological equipment and missiles without any calculations and drawings.

Later, both in the USA and in the USSR, V-2 rockets were reproduced (we have this P-1), which predetermined the development of rocketry, aimed at increasing the range of flight.

The theory of Tsiolkovsky

This great Russian scientist-self-taught and an outstanding inventor is considered the father of cosmonautics. In 1883, they wrote a historical manuscript "Free Space". In this work, Tsiolkovsky first expressed the idea that movement between planets is possible, and a special aircraft called a "space rocket" is needed for this. The very theory of the jet device was justified by him in 1903. It was contained in a work called "The Study of the World Space." Here the author gave evidence that the space rocket is the apparatus by which it is possible to leave the terrestrial atmosphere. This theory was a real revolution in the scientific field. After all, mankind has long dreamed of flying to Mars, the Moon and other planets. However, the pundits could not determine how the aircraft should be arranged, which would move in an absolutely empty space without support, capable of giving it acceleration. This task was solved by Tsiolkovsky, who suggested the use of a jet engine for this purpose . Only with the help of such a mechanism could space be conquered.

Operating principle

Space missiles from Russia, the United States and other countries are still entering Earth's orbit with the help of rocket engines, proposed by Tsiolkovsky in his time. In these systems, the chemical energy of the fuel is converted into kinetic energy, which has a jet emitted from the nozzle. A special process occurs in the combustion chambers of such engines. In them, as a result of the reaction of the oxidizer and fuel, heat is released. At the same time, the combustion products expand, heat up, accelerate in the nozzle and are ejected at a tremendous rate. The rocket is moving due to the law of conservation of momentum. It receives acceleration, which is directed in the opposite direction.

To date, there are such engine designs as space elevators, solar sails, etc. However, in practice they do not apply, as they are still in development.

The first spacecraft

The rocket Tsiolkovsky, proposed by the scientist, was a metal camera oblong in shape. Outwardly it looked like an aerostat or an airship. The front, the head space of the rocket was intended for passengers. Here, control devices were installed, as well as carbon dioxide absorbers and oxygen stores. In the compartment for passengers, lighting was provided. In the second, the main part of the rocket, Tsiolkovsky arranged combustible substances. When they were mixed, the formation of an explosive mass occurred. It was ignited in the space allocated to it in the very center of the rocket and was ejected from the expanding pipe with a huge speed in the form of hot gases.

For a long time the name of Tsiolkovsky was little known not only abroad, but also in Russia. Many considered him an idealist dreamer and an eccentric dreamer. A true assessment of the works of this great scientist was received only with the advent of Soviet power.

The creation of a missile complex in the USSR

Significant steps in the development of interplanetary space were made after the end of World War II. This was the time when the US, being the only nuclear power, began to exert political pressure on our country. The initial task that was set before our scientists was to build up Russia's military power. For a worthy rebuff in the conditions of the cold war unleashed during these years, it was necessary to create an atomic bomb , and then a hydrogen bomb. The second, no less difficult task, was to deliver the created weapons to the target. For this, military missiles were required. With the purpose of creating this technique, in 1946, the government appointed the main designers of gyroscopic instruments, jet engines, control systems, etc. SP Spivakovich was responsible for linking all the systems into a single whole. Korolev.

Already in 1948 the first of the ballistic missiles developed in the USSR was successfully tested. Similar flights to the US were carried out a few years later.

Launch of an artificial satellite

In addition to building up the military potential, the government of the USSR set itself the task of mastering outer space. Work in this direction was conducted by many scientists and designers. Even before the intercontinental range rocket was launched into the air, it became clear to the developers of such equipment that by reducing the payload of an aircraft, it was possible to achieve a speed exceeding the space velocity. This fact spoke of the probability of an artificial satellite being launched into the earth's orbit. This epoch-making event occurred on 4.10.1957. It was the beginning of a new milestone in the exploration of outer space.

The creation of Soviet missiles

Work on the development of airless near-earth space required enormous efforts on the part of numerous teams of designers, scientists and workers. The creators of space rockets had to develop a program for launching an aircraft into orbit, debugging the work of the ground service, and so on.

The designers faced a difficult task. It was necessary to increase the mass of the rocket and make it possible to achieve its second space velocity. That is why in 1958-1959 a three-stage version of the jet engine was developed in our country. With his invention, it was possible to produce the first space rockets in which a person could have ascended into orbit. Three-stage engines have also opened up the possibility of flying to the moon.

Further, the launch vehicles were more and more refined. Thus, in 1961 a four-stage model of a jet engine was created. With it, the rocket could reach not only the moon, but also reach Mars or Venus.

First manned flight

The launch of a space rocket with a man on board took place for the first time on 12.04.1961. The Vostok space craft, piloted by Yuri Gagarin, came off the surface of the Earth. This event was epoch-making for humanity. In April 1961, the development of outer space was further developed. The transition to manned flights required designers to create such aircraft, which could return to Earth, safely overcoming the layers of the atmosphere. In addition, the space rocket should have been provided for a person's life support system, including air regeneration, food and much more. All these tasks have been successfully solved.

Further exploration of space

The rockets of the type "Vostok" for a long time contributed to the retention of the leading role of the USSR in the field of near-Earth airless space exploration. Their use continues to the present day. Up to 1964, the Vostok aircraft were superior to all existing analogues in terms of their carrying capacity.

Somewhat later, more powerful media were created in our country and in the USA. The name of space rockets of this type, designed in our country, is Proton-M. American such apparatus is "Delta-IV". In Europe, the Ariane-5 launch vehicle, which belongs to the heavy type, was designed. All these aircraft allow the removal of 21-25 tons of cargo to a height of 200 km, where a low Earth orbit is located.

New developments

Within the framework of the project of man's flight to the Moon, LVs belonging to the superheavy class were created. These are such space rockets of the USA, as "Saturn-5", and also the Soviet H-1. Later in the USSR, a super-heavy Energia missile was created, which is currently not used. A powerful US carrier was the Space Shuttle. This missile made it possible to launch into space orbits a mass of 100 tons.

Manufacturers of aircraft

Space rockets were designed and created in OKB-1 (Special Design Bureau), TsKBEM (Central Design Bureau of Experimental Machine Building), as well as in the NGO (Scientific and Production Association) Energia. It was here that domestic ballistic missiles of all types were seen. Eleven strategic complexes, which our army took into service, also came from this place. With the efforts of the workers of these enterprises, the R-7 was also created, the first space rocket, which is considered the most reliable in the world at present. Since the middle of the last century, these enterprises have initiated and conducted work in all areas related to the development of space exploration. Since 1994, the company has received a new name, becoming OAO RSC Energia.

Today, the manufacturer of space rockets

RSC Energia them. S.P. The Queen is a strategic enterprise of Russia. It plays a leading role in the development and production of manned space systems. A great deal of attention is paid to the creation of new technologies. Specialized automated space systems are being developed here, as well as launch vehicles for launching aircraft into orbit. In addition, RSC Energia actively introduces science-intensive technologies for the production of products not related to the development of airless space.

In the structure of this enterprise, in addition to the head design bureau, there are:

- Joint-Stock Company "Factory of experimental mechanical engineering".

- ZAO PO Kosmos.

- CJSC Volzhskoye KB.

- Branch "Baikonur".

The most promising programs of the enterprise are:

- issues of further space exploration and the creation of a manned transport space system of the new generation;

- development of manned aircraft that are capable of mastering interplanetary spaces;

- design and creation of energy and telecommunications space systems using special small-size reflectors and antennas.