Kliper Space Plane

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Encyclopedia Astronautica - 25 Feb 2004 12:59 GMT

What may be a drawing of the Kliper spaceplane has been identified.
It's at the updated page at:

http://www.astronautix.com/craft/kliper.htm

As regards payload capability of a Soyuz modified for an Lox/LH2 upper
stage, that doesn't appear to be a problem. Assume Soyuz 11A511U lower
stages used a Centaur V2 upper stage, a rough calculation indicates a
payload of 13 tonnes would be delivered into a 52 deg inclination/185
km orbit. The 1962 calculation showed a 5 tonne payload to a
geosynchronous transfer / Molniya orbit.

The biggest issue would seem to be the aerodynamics of the R-7 with
the larger upper stage and/or untapered core.

This Onega launch vehicle also seems to be a lateral stab by Energia
at the foundering Angara programme...

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Pat Flannery - 25 Feb 2004 13:27 GMT

>The biggest issue would seem to be the aerodynamics of the R-7 with
>the larger upper stage and/or untapered core.

Yeah, it's pretty tall and skinny the way it is already, and even adding
the little Luna/Vostok stage caused problems in that regard. Since Zenit
was designed for work like this (new spacecraft larger than Soyuz) it
seems that the relationship between Russia and Ukraine is still strained
enough that Russia considers it necessary to build an indigenous launch
vehicle with capabilities like those of Zenit, rather than just purchase
them from Ukraine. But who knows, they might squeeze a little more
capability out of the old Semyorka yet...I'll bet the designers of the
Thor IRBM never expected that its descendants would be landing rovers on
Mars.
I notice you have a cutaway of a possible Kliper design up on your site
now; the mounting of the retros/manuvering engines on the heat shield
nose is interesting; although this design looks like you end up with a
big empty aerodynamic fairing on top of it during launch, due to its
flat front end.

Pat

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Space Forum / Space History / February 2004

Kliper Space Plane