The RD8 engine generates thrust and controls flight of the Zenit second stage in all stabilization axes. The autonomous steering engine is a four-chamber, single-mode, single-burn engine with a turbo-pump-feed system.
Gimbaling each chamber in one plane provides stage flight control. A starting fuel is used to ignite propellants in the chambers and the gas generator.
The staged-combustion engine maintains specified thrust and regulates mixture ratio. The turbopump assembly turbine uses oxygen-rich gas as a working fluid. At ignition, a pneumatic starter spins the turbopump assembly rotor.
The engine can be upgraded to provide two ignitions in flight and cut-off upon depletion of either of the propellants. The engine chamber is a baseline for development of 2- and 4- ton-thrust engines. The RD8 is series produced for the Zenit-3SL, Zenit-3SLB, Zenit-2SLB.
Basic Specifications
|
Engine mass, kg |
380 |
|
Propellants: Oxidizer Fuel |
Liquid oxygen Kerosene |
|
Vacuum thrust, kgf |
8000 |
|
Vacuum specific impulse, kgf·s/kg |
342 |
|
Propellant mixture ratio |
2,4 |
|
Gimbal angle, ang. deg |
±33 |
|
Running time in flight, s |
Up to 1100 |
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