NK-15

NK-15
Country of originSoviet Union
Date1960s
DesignerKuznetsov Design Bureau
Application1st/2nd-stage engine
PredecessorNK-9[1]
SuccessorNK-33
Liquid-fuel engine
PropellantLOX / RG-1
Mixture ratio2.52:1 (oxidizer:fuel)
CycleStaged combustion
PumpsTurbopump
Performance
Thrust, vacuum1,544 kN (347,000 lbf)
Thrust, sea-level1,526 kN (343,000 lbf)
Throttle range50–105%
Thrust-to-weight ratio126.22:1
Chamber pressure7.85 MPa (1,139 psi)
Specific impulse, vacuum318 s (3.12 km/s)
Specific impulse, sea-level297 s (2.91 km/s)
Dimensions
Length2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Diameter1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)
Dry mass1,247 kg (2,749 lb)
References
References[2]

The NK-15 (GRAU index: 11D51) was a rocket engine designed and built in the late 1960s by the Kuznetsov Design Bureau. The NK designation was derived from the initials of chief designer Nikolay Kuznetsov. The NK-15 was among the most powerful LOX/kerosene rocket engines when it was built, with a high specific impulse and low structural mass. It was intended for the ill-fated Soviet N-1 Moon rocket.

History

The engine equipped the N1 rocket - the first two launch attempts failed due to this engine.[3] Its successor, the NK-33 was to be used on the N1F, an upgraded version of the N1,[4] but the program was cancelled.[5]

Versions

  • NK-15V (GRAU index: 11D52): modified NK-15 optimized for vacuum operation, used on the second stage of the N1.

See also

References

  1. ^ Kiseleva, Mariia (2021-11-24). "Soviet Rocket Engines". Everyday Astronaut. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
  2. ^ "NK-15". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
  3. ^ Chertok, Boris E. (2011). Rockets and people (PDF). Washington, DC: NASA. p. 208,230. ISBN 978-0-16-089559-3. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  4. ^ Sesnic, Trevor (2023-06-02). "Starship vs. N1". Everyday Astronaut. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  5. ^ Avilla, Aeryn (21 February 2020). "N1: The Rise and Fall of the USSR's Moon Rocket". Spaceflight Histories. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
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