Academician Valentin Glushko (to the 100-th Anniversary) V.F.Rakhmanin, V.S.Sudakov NPO Energomash of Academician V.P.Glushko name 100 years have
passed since the date of a birth of an outstanding scientist and the designer,
the pioneer of space-rocket engineering, the founder of a domestic liquid
rocket engine building, twice Hero of Socialist Labour (1956, 1961), Winner of Lenin (1957) and State
(1967, 1984) premiums of USSR, Academician Valentin
Petrovich Glushko. V.P.Glushko's life
and activity - an example of a civil and scientific feat. He was born V.P.Glushko remained true
to this solution all creative life. Finishing in 1928 study at the At the initial phase of
history of rocket engineering development of design of engine efficient during
several tens seconds was the main task at creation of liquid-propellant
rockets. V.P.Glushko begins with development of experimental models of liquid
propellant rocket engines (LPRE), received name ORM (experimental rocket
motor), which is used for all family of engines developed V.P.Glushko in 30th
years. The first conducted in our
country in the summer 1931 tests of LPRE have showed,
that at a seeming simplicity of a design, careful studying physical and
chemical processes occurring in chamber of ORM is required. V.P.Glushko
with participation of B.P.Petropavlovsky, G.E.Langemak, N.G.Chernyshev, I.I.Kulagin and others, having experience of development of
solid-propellant rocket shells, started research works. The
technological questions arising at creation of LPRE advanced a level of
scientific achievements of the beginning of 30th years of XX century in thermo
and gas dynamics, heat transfer, chemical kinetics, metallurgy, mechanics and a
number of other sciences. Necessity of maintenance of functionability
of combustion chamber of LPRE at temperature of combustion of propellant nearby
At the first phase
development of rocket engineering was conducted without any scientific program.
The sequence of research activities was determined intuitively and developed in
process of obtaining experimental results. Having conducted the first research
activities, V.P.Glushko special attention gives obtaining of high value of
specific impulse of thrust. In these researches he uses various chemical
substances: as oxidizer - liquid oxygen, nitrogen tetroxide,
nitric acid, solutions of nitrogen tetroxide in
nitric acid, tetranitromethane, hydrogen peroxide, chloric acid; as fuel - gasoline, toluene, kerosene,
beryllium. Then he has offered ways of increase of efficiency of propellant for
LPRE by increase of their density by deep cooling and introduction of heavy
inert additive, and also three-component propellant - oxygen with hydrogen and
beryllium. It is necessary to emphasize, that in search of highly effective
propellant V.P.Glushko was engaged all creative life, he was single one among
domestic chief designers of rocket engineering who carried out similar researches,
and whose proposals on structure of propellant have been realized at creation
of engines and rockets. Various propellant
components demanded application of various ways of ignition at start up. V.P.Glushko
used in researches as already known ways: ignition from electrospark
or from electrobridge of incandescence, and ways for
the first time applied by him: from powder grain or chemical ignition by start
fuel. Last two ways have widely entered in practice of rocket engineering. Searches of efficient design
of combustion chamber became following step to creation of rocket engine. The
definition of effective exponential profile of supersonic part of nozzle became
one of the first activities. Before in all known theoretical activities it was
recommended to design this part of nozzle as conical one, various angles of
cone were offered only. ORM family, developed in
1931, is intended for check of various versions of design, capable to maintain
effect of chamber temperature and pressure during tens seconds. First chambers
of ORM, by analogy to powder engines, had not outside cooling.
Thermal-protective coating should provide their functionability.
Ceramic coating of zirconium dioxide has shown the best results from checked up
coatings, it found wide application in the subsequent practice of rocket
engineering. However to limit only by thermal-protective coating was not
possible. It is required implementation of additional cooling. The applied
outside ribbing of wall as in air cooling piston engines has appeared
ineffective, it was necessary to cool ribbed wall by flow of propellant
component. So in 1933 for the first time design of channel of regenerative
cooling of chamber of LPRE, consisting of ribbed internal and smooth outside
walls, was created. In the most heat-stressed segments of chamber the wall has
spiral ribbing. The chosen design and installation places of swirl-type
injectors created additional cooling of wall by an internal propellant layer.
Internal cooling also for the first time has been applied in domestic design of
chambers of LPRE. Results of cycle of tests
of chambers of same design on nitric acid + kerosene and liquid oxygen +
kerosene propellant have shown the best functionability
of internal wall of chamber at operation on first propellant. During the same
period it has been determined, that among high-boiling oxidizers nitrogen tetroxide gives the highest specific impulse of thrust, but
in connection with absence of its industrial production in Except for experimental
researches V.P.Glushko has executed a number of computational-design works
which have not received completion by hardware manufacturing. So, in 1932
drawings of turbopump unit with centrifugal pumps and
a drive of turbine by gas which is taken from the combustion chamber have been
developed, and also project of RLA-100 rocket (rocket vehicle with This engine, and also
ORM-50 engine at thrust The significant event in
development of rocket engineering in our country became organization in October
1933 the first-ever Reactive scientific research
institute (RNII) by association of creative collectives of GDL and GIRD. In
RNII V.P.Glushko has headed sector on development of LPRE on nitrogen acid
propellant. In creative rivalry with the former employees of GIRD which are
developing oxygen LPRE, V.P.Glushko engines have received a priority owing to
not only best operational properties of high-boiling propellant, but also more
perfect design created on the basis of research activities within 1931- During activity in RNII
since January 1934 till March 1938 series of engines from ORM-53 up to ORM-102
has been designed under direction of V.P.Glushko, from them ORM-65 with
regulated thrust from 50 up to During same period first
in our country GG-1 and GG-2 gas generators, working on nitric acid and
kerosene with ballasting by water, have been developed and tested under
direction of V.P.Glushko. Duration of test of gas generator was determined by
capacity of stand tanks, total operating time of GG-1 has made about 2 hours. Besides fulfillment of
design activities, V.P.Glushko successfully conducts invention activity,
receives certificates on inventions, and also publishes a number of articles in
In September 1937 V.P.Glushko
is 29 years old engineer, 8 years he successfully is engaged in favorite
business, every year he comprehends features of LPRE creation more deeply. In
the end of 1937 - beginning of 1938 ORM-101 and ORM-102 have been developed by
him. These engines are differed from previous development by functional
efficiency and design elegance. But at this time there was a sharp turn in his
life. In March 1938 on false charge in participation in anti-soviet
organization V.P.Glushko has been arrested. During investigation he has been
subjected to physical and moral violence and has been forced to recognize the
framed up charges. His appeals to Vyshinsky, Yezhov, Beriya, Stalin with
requests to examine objectively his cause have not given positive result and
the special meeting at People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs in August,
15th 1939 has sentenced V.P.Glushko to 8 years in corrective-labor camp.
However, as expert in the field of defensive industry, V.P.Glushko has been
directed in special prison of 4-th Special department of People's Commissariat
of Internal Affairs. In the beginning it was special prison at Tushino' aircraft factory where V.P.Glushko has developed
drawings of GG-3 gas generator, and then, on basis of ORM-65, the rocket
booster for S-100 and Stal-7 airplanes, allowing to increase speeds of flight
by 80 and 160 km/hours. For the further development of boosters for aircraft V.P.Glushko
in the autumn 1940 has been transferred in special prison at the In Kazan V.P.Glushko as
head of group of engineers and technicians - prisoners conducts development of
RD-1 engine working on nitric acid and kerosene. In the beginning of 1942 this
group was reorganized in Design Bureau in structure of OKB-16 of 4-th Special
department of People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs. Prisoners - professors
G.S.Zhiritsky, K.I.Strakhovich,
A.I.Gavrilov, V.V.Pazukhin,
engineers D.D.Sevruk, V.A.Vitka,
G.N.List, N.L.Umansky, N.A.Zheltukhin, N.S.Shniakin etc
are worked in this Design Bureau under V.P.Glushko' technical management. In
August 1942 V.M.Bolhovitinov and A.M.Isaev
have visited In November 1942 under V.P.Glushko'
petition S.P.Korolev also being in imprisonment has
been transferred to RD-1 and RD-1KhZ engines
have passed a cycle of flight tests on La-7, Yak-3, Su-7 fighters and Pe-2
bomber. The maximal addition of speed of Yak-3 airplane has made The achieved successes in
development of military engineering have been highly estimated: on July, 27th
1944 on representation of People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs V.P.Glushko
and his nearest employees - D.D.Sevruk, G.S.Zhiritsky, S.P.Korolev, U.N.List, V.A.Vitka and others
have been ahead of schedule released with removal of a previous conviction.
Former prisoners have made a creative core of again organized OKB of reactive
engines led by chief designer V.P.Glushko and his deputies D.D.Sevruk,
G.S.Zhiritsky and S.P.Korolev.
In September 1945 administrative board of OKB-RD has received the state awards
for development of military engineering: V.P.Glushko and D.D.Sevruk
- orders of Labour Red Banner, others - orders After Great Domestic war
Soviet engineers went to Generalizing experience
and state of affairs with development of rocket engineering in In July 1946 V.P.Glushko
has been appointed by chief designer of OKB at aviation plant ©456 in Khimky. OKB-RD collective was transferred from Successful creation of R-5
rocket has allowed setting for its developers a task about creation of
intercontinental missile with nuclear warhead. Development of engines for such
rocket have charged to V.P.Glushko' OKB. By this time the design of
soldered-welded combustion chamber is developed in OKB-456. Such design is
capable to work reliably at large pressure and to provide any thrust within the
limits of technical feasibility. Collectives of OKB and plant have successfully
decided this task. First launch of R-7 rocket took place May, 15th For outstanding
scientific-technical contribution to theory and practice of domestic engine
engineering V.P.Glushko in 1958 has elected the full member of AS of USSR. In 1961 for contribution
in creation of samples of the space engineering, ensured Yu.A.Gagarin
flight, he is again awarded by rank of Hero of Socialist Labor, OKB-456 has
received Lenin's order, employees of OKB and plant
have received the state orders. The space age has begun
since launch of the first satellite in history of mankind, and rapid
development of rocket engineering has begun in our country. The essential
contribution to creation of rocket-nuclear shield and investigations of space
made enterprise, headed by V.P.Glushko. So, since 1948 until 1974 when V.P.Glushko
became general designer and director of NPO "Energia",
the highly effective engines installed on 19 missiles (on 7 of them on I and II
stages) and on 15 space rockets (on 9 of them on I and II stages) are developed
and put in operation under his management. All engines are jointed
with unified characteristic - extremely high profitability. And at the same
time each engine had novelty aspects. It is combustion chamber having all force
details of titanium alloy, it is received specific impulse of thrust in 352
sec, record for LPRE of open scheme, it is single-component gas generator
working on thermal decomposition of UDMH, it is start bottles for engine
start-up, it is "gun" start of oxygen engine from silo, and starterless engine start-up, it is gimbaled main chambers
of engine, it is all gimbaled engine, it is spherical form of power structure
of 2 component gas generator, it is modular layout of propulsion system of I
stage, it is layout of engines in 2 chambers and 4 chambers versions, it is
application as an oxidizer - nitrogen tetroxide and
liquid fluorine and as fuel - UDMH and ammonia. But how many design projects
still remain not demanded ones. As to a propellant, how it
was already spoken, V.P.Glushko since first years of activity on liquid rocket
subjects paid large attention to selection of effective propellant. It was one
of scientific directions of his activity. He did not isolate in use of one
propellant even having good power characteristics. At a selection of propellant
V.P.Glushko closely coordinated potential energy, specific weight and
operational properties of chemical substances. Proceeding from a integrated
estimation, V.P.Glushko in a course of lectures in Air Force Academy in the
middle of 30th years and on Highest engineering courses in the end of 40th
years has characterized liquid hydrogen as little use propellant component for
operational use in rocket engineering. Such conclusion has been made on the
basis of lowest temperature of boiling and extremely small specific weight of
hydrogen. And for this conclusion made at first phase of development of rocket
engineering, opponents accuse V.P.Glushko for delay of use of hydrogen in
domestic rocket engineering. In that case it is necessary to add to him and K.E.Tsiolkovsky
who in Except for practical
activity on application of new highly effective propellant, V.P.Glushko
conducted scientific activity in this direction. So, course of his lectures
Making the review of V.P.Glushko'
activity, it is impossible to pass by drama page in history of domestic space
rocket engineering. It is a question of negative experience of creation in 60th
years of N-1 and UR-700 high-power space launch-vehicles. At a selection of
propellant for I and II stages engines of N-1 V.P.Glushko started with
available positive experience of development of engines for M.K.Yangel'
rockets on oxidizers: nitric acid, oxygen and nitrogen tetroxide
in pair with UDMH as well as with increased bent of oxygen-kerosene propellant
for high-frequency instability which has shown at development of engines for
R-7 and, especially, R-9 rockets. The time was important factor also - under
the governmental decree flight tests of N-1 should begin in 1965, i.e. for
ground development of engine was devoted about 3 years. OKB-1 has given technical
specifications for development of preliminary designs on offered by V.P.Glushko
3 versions of above-stated propellant. The technical specification for
development of preliminary design of oxygen-kerosene engine has simultaneously
been given in N.D.Kuznetsov' OKB. From presented in
the end of 1961 4 versions of engines, differing propellant components, OKB-1
has chosen N.D.Kuznetsov' engine. The
interdepartmental commission under presidency of president of Academy of
science of USSR M.V.Keldysh in June 1962 has agreed
with selection of OKB-1 and has approved preliminary design of N-1 rocket with
oxygen-kerosene propellant. During development of N-1
rocket alternative proposal of V.N.Chelomei to
develop UR-700 rocket was appeared. For this rocket V.P.Glushko' OKB developed
RD-270 engine of I stage at thrust 640 tn
in one chamber on nitrogen tetroxide and UDMH under
"gas-gas" scheme. The destiny of both projects is practically
identical: activities on UR-700 are stopped in 1969 at phase of fire
development test of engine, and N-1 - in 1974 after 4 unsuccessful rocket
launches in the two-stage version, conducted since February 1969 till December
1972. But in this negative situation there was also a place for positive
results. Rejected by OKB-1 version of engine on nitrogen tetroxide
and UDMH has received a start in life on I stage of UR-500 rocket more known
under "Proton" name and already more than 40 years are in flight
operation. One fact from history of creation of this engine - first test flight
of "Proton" rocket is executed on Development of rocket
engineering went all times on a way of increase of characteristics of rockets
for the solution of new, more complex scientific-technical problems, and it led
to large financial and time expenses. And development of engines is one of the
most expensive articles by way of creation of rocket. The analysis of domestic
history of creation of rockets has shown, that new
engine is developed practically for each new rocket with all expenses following
from it. Having made such analysis, V.P.Glushko in the end of 60th years has
developed the program of creation of successive line of space rockets, based on
quantity of installed modular engines. So, rockets of light class have 1
modular engine on I stages, middle class - 2-3
engines, heavy class - 4 and more engines. Once developed at stand and in
flight the modular engine then with the minimal changes and check tests is used
on new space rocket. After acceptance of the
decision about termination of works on N-1 by political leaders of country D.F.Ustinov in May 1974 has suggested V.P.Glushko to head
the domestic space program. For concentration of scientific-technical forces
NPO "Energia" led by general designer and
director V.P.Glushko has been organized. The new general designer has come with
detailed program of further development of domestic space engineering. He has
suggested to introduce into practice the developed by
him principle of creation of line of space rockets with use of unified modular
engine. This method was realized at creation of "Energia"
heavy class launch-vehicle and "Zenit"
medium class launch-vehicle on first stages of which 4 engines RD-170 and one
engine RD-171 have been installed accordingly. The idea of creation of these
engines belongs V.P.Glushko. RD-170/171 engines are
developed under V.P.Radovsky' direct technical
management. The hardest activity has crowned success: at first in April 1985
first flight test of "Zenit" launch-vehicle
has taken place and then the first stage of this rocket which are being on
technical essence by unit "A" of "Energia"
launch-vehicle has successfully conducted in two flights of "Energia" launch-vehicle in May 1987 and November 1988. Creation of "Energia" and "Zenit"
launch-vehicles should become the beginning of development of subsequent line
of space rockets. In plans of NPO "Energia"
there was development of "Groza" medium
class rocket with two RD-170 engines, and also "Vulcan" super heavy
class rocket with eight RD-170 engines. Design development for future researches
of Moon and planets of Solar system were conducted also. During same period
V.P.Glushko led activities of NPO "Energia"
on perfection of piloted spacecrafts "Soyuz" (and their modifications
"Soyuz T" and "Soyuz TM"), "Salut"
orbital stations and to creation of base module of "Mir" long-term
orbital station. Programs of piloted flights, including international are
successfully realized. But creation of <Energia - Buran> space-rocket system became triumph of activity of
V.P.Glushko. Valentin Petrovich Glushko has died on Valentin Petrovich Glushko's huge work is
adequately appreciated. International astronautics federation has awarded his
by international diploma for achievements in field of development of
space-rocket engineering and research of physic-technical problems of power,
and he was elected its full member in 1976. V.P.Glushko's name in 1994 was
given to crater on visible protected side of Moon. This crater adjoins to
others, carrying names of greatest researchers of the world - Niels Bohr, Albert Einstein, Galileo Galilee, John Dalton. For creation of rocket
engines owing to which launch of first artificial satellite of Earth was
conducted V.P.Glushko became winner of Lenin premium in NPO Energomash bears proudly today name of Academician Valentin Petrovich Glushko - founder and permanent scientific-technical chief.
The enterprise puts before itself new challenges and tries to realize them on
highest scientific and technical level. The new engines created by his pupils
and followers will be the best memory of Valentin Petrovich Glushko. |
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