Today, the Russian Federation has the most powerful space industry in the world. Russia is the undisputed leader in the field of manned cosmonautics and, moreover, has parity with the United States in matters of space navigation. Some lags in our country are only in the research of distant interplanetary spaces, as well as in the development of remote sensing of the Earth.
History
Space rocket was first conceived by Russian scientists Tsiolkovsky and Meshchersky. In 1897-1903 they created the theory of its flight. Much later, foreign scientists began to master this direction. These were the Germans von Braun and Oberth, as well as the American Goddard. In peacetime between the wars, only three countries in the world de alt with issues of jet propulsion, as well as the creation of solid-fuel and liquid engines for this purpose. They were Russia, USA and Germany.
Already by the 40s of the 20th century, our country could be proud of the successes achieved inquestions of creation of solid propellant engines. This made it possible to use such formidable weapons as Katyushas during World War II. 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 short-range ballistic missiles. During World War II, the V-2 was used to bomb England.
After the victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany, the main team of Wernher von Braun, under his direct supervision, launched its activities in the USA. At the same time, they took with them from the defeated country all the previously developed drawings and calculations, on the basis of which the space rocket was to be built. Only a tiny part of the team of German engineers and scientists continued their work in the USSR until the mid-1950s. They had at their disposal separate parts of technological equipment and missiles without any calculations and drawings.
Later, both the USA and the USSR reproduced the V-2 rockets (in our case it is the R-1), which predetermined the development of rocket science aimed at increasing the flight range.
Tsiolkovsky's theory
This great Russian self-taught scientist and outstanding inventor is considered the father of astronautics. Back in 1883, he wrote the historical manuscript "Free Space". In this work, Tsiolkovsky for the first time expressed the idea that movement between planets is possible, and a special aircraft is needed for this.apparatus called "space rocket". The very theory of the reactive device was substantiated by him in 1903. It was contained in a work called "Investigation of the World Space". Here the author cited evidence that a space rocket is the apparatus with which you can leave the earth's 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, pundits have not been able to determine how an aircraft should be arranged, which will move in an absolutely empty space without a support capable of giving it acceleration. This problem was solved by Tsiolkovsky, who proposed the use of a jet engine for this purpose. Only with the help of such a mechanism it was possible to conquer space.
Operation principle
Space rockets of Russia, the USA and other countries are still orbiting the Earth with the help of rocket engines proposed by Tsiolkovsky. In these systems, the chemical energy of the fuel is converted into kinetic energy, which is possessed by the jet ejected from the nozzle. A special process takes place in the combustion chambers of such engines. As a result of the reaction of the oxidizer and fuel, heat is released in them. In this case, the combustion products expand, heat up, accelerate in the nozzle and are ejected at great speed. In this case, the rocket moves due to the law of conservation of momentum. She gets a boost that is in the opposite direction.
Today, there are such engine projects as space elevators, solar sails, etc. However, they are not used in practice, as they are still in development.
First spacecraft
Tsiolkovsky's rocket, proposed by the scientist, was an oblong metal chamber. Outwardly, it looked like a balloon or airship. The front, head space of the rocket was intended for passengers. Control devices were also installed here, as well as carbon dioxide absorbers and oxygen reserves were stored. Lighting was provided in the passenger compartment. In the second, main part of the rocket, Tsiolkovsky placed combustible substances. When they were mixed, an explosive mass was formed. It was ignited in the place allotted to it in the very center of the rocket and was thrown out of the expanding tube with great 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 a dreamer-idealist and an eccentric dreamer. The works of this great scientist were truly appreciated only with the advent of Soviet power.
Creating a missile system in the USSR
Significant steps in the development of interplanetary space were made after the end of World War II. It was a time when the United States, 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 military powerRussia. For a worthy rebuff in the conditions of the Cold War unleashed in these years, it was necessary to create an atomic and then a hydrogen bomb. The second, no less difficult task was to deliver the created weapon to the target. For this, combat missiles were required. In order to create this technique, already in 1946, the government appointed chief designers of gyroscopic instruments, jet engines, control systems, etc. S. P. became responsible for linking all systems into a single whole. Queen.
Already in 1948, the first ballistic missile developed in the USSR was successfully tested. Similar flights in the US were carried out a few years later.
Launch of an artificial satellite
In addition to building up military potential, the government of the USSR set itself the task of exploring outer space. Work in this direction was carried out by many scientists and designers. Even before an intercontinental-range missile took off into the air, it became clear to the developers of such technology that by reducing the payload of an aircraft, it was possible to achieve speeds exceeding space speed. This fact spoke about the probability of launching an artificial satellite into the earth's orbit. This landmark event took place on 10/4/1957. It was the beginning of a new milestone in the exploration of outer space.
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. Creatorsspace rockets had to develop a program for launching an aircraft into orbit, debug the work of ground service, etc.
The designers had a difficult task. It was necessary to increase the mass of the rocket and make it possible for it to reach the second cosmic velocity. That is why in 1958-1959 a three-stage version of a jet engine was developed in our country. With his invention, it became possible to produce the first space rockets in which a person could rise into orbit. Three-stage engines also opened up the possibility of flying to the moon.
Further, boosters have become more and more improved. So, in 1961, a four-stage model of a jet engine was created. With it, a rocket could reach not only the Moon, but also get to Mars or Venus.
First manned flight
The launch of a space rocket with a man on board took place for the first time on 1961-12-04. The Vostok spacecraft piloted by Yuri Gagarin took off from the Earth's surface. This event was epochal for mankind. In April 1961 space exploration received its new development. The transition to manned flights required designers to create such aircraft that could return to Earth, safely overcoming the layers of the atmosphere. In addition, a human life support system was to be provided on the space rocket, including air regeneration, food, and much more. All these tasks were successfully completed.
Further space exploration
Rocketsof the Vostok type for a long time contributed to the retention of the leading role of the USSR in the field of research of near-Earth airless space. Their use continues to the present day. Until 1964, the Vostok aircraft surpassed all existing analogues in terms of their carrying capacity.
Somewhat later, more powerful carriers 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 similar device - "Delta-IV". In Europe, the Ariane-5 launch vehicle, belonging to the heavy type, was designed. All these aircraft allow to launch 21-25 tons of cargo to a height of 200 km, where low Earth orbit is located.
New developments
In the framework of the project of manned flight to the moon, launch vehicles belonging to the superheavy class were created. These are such US space rockets as the Saturn-5, as well as the Soviet H-1. Later, the super-heavy Energia rocket was created in the USSR, which is currently not used. The Space Shuttle became a powerful American launch vehicle. This rocket made it possible to launch spacecraft weighing 100 tons into orbit.
Aircraft Manufacturers
Space rockets were designed and built at OKB-1 (Special Design Bureau), TsKBEM (Central Design Bureau of Experimental Engineering), as well as at NPO (Scientific and Production Association) Energia. It was here that domestic ballistic missiles of all types saw the light. from here came out andeleven strategic complexes that our army has adopted. Through the efforts of the employees of these enterprises, the R-7 was also created - the first space rocket, which is considered the most reliable in the world at the present time. Since the middle of the last century, these industries initiated and carried out work in all areas related to the development of astronautics. Since 1994, the enterprise has received a new name, becoming OAO RSC Energia.
Space rocket manufacturer today
RSC Energia im. S. P. The Queen is a strategic enterprise of Russia. It plays a leading role in the development and production of manned space systems. Much attention at the enterprise is paid to the creation of new technologies. Specialized automatic space systems are being developed here, as well as launch vehicles for launching aircraft into orbit. In addition, RSC Energia is actively implementing science-intensive technologies for the production of products that are not related to the development of vacuum space.
In addition to the head design bureau, this enterprise includes:
- ZAO Experimental Engineering Plant.
- ZAO PO Cosmos.
- CJSC Volzhskoye Design Bureau.
- Baikonur branch.
The most promising programs of the enterprise are:
- issues of further space exploration and the creation of a manned transport space system of the latest generation;
- the development of manned aircraft that are able to masterinterplanetary space;
- design and creation of energy and telecommunications space systems using special small-sized reflectors and antennas.
