A team of Russian specialists is developing the NK-3 engine with a thrust of 4.5 tonnes for use in ultra-light launch vehicles. The propulsion system will operate on environmentally friendly fuel and incorporate a thrust vector control mechanism, enabling precise adjustment of the rocket’s trajectory. The development was announced by the United Engine Corporation, part of the state corporation Rostec.
The NK-3 engine will be used for the first and second stages of the “Voronezh” ultralight rocket. The first stage will use 12 engines, whilst the second will use a single engine.
According to the developers, the engine combines elements of existing technological solutions with newly designed components. The use of modern technologies will enable the rapid manufacture of parts and assembly units with varied designs, facilitating testing and, subsequently, the selection of the most efficient model.
Ultra-light launch vehicles are designed to deliver commercial payloads of up to 250 kilograms into Earth orbit. In this regard, as stated by the company’s deputy director, Mikhail Remizov, the development will expand the market for specialised services for the launch of small satellites and contribute to the advancement of the Russian space industry.
Mechanical and materials engineering, applied to the study and exploration of space, has also advanced significantly in other BRICS countries.
India is in the process of acquiring semi-cryogenic rocket engines to improve the performance of its LVM3 heavy-lift launch vehicle. According to Trinity Mirror, a partner of TV BRICS, the implementation of this technology could enable payloads of up to 7 tonnes to geostationary transfer orbit, surpassing the current capacity of 4 tonnes. These improvements are fundamental to the country’s space exploration plan, which includes crewed missions to the Moon and the development of a national space station.
A team of Chinese scientists has achieved a new milestone by developing a high-efficiency thin-film photovoltaic solar cell for space energy. According to Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS, the solution offers several advantages, such as abundant resources, low cost, low environmental impact and resistance to space radiation. This technology is expected to play a key role in future energy applications, both on Earth and in space.
In Brazil, researchers at the National Astrophysics Laboratory, in partnership with the University of Sao Paulo (USP), are developing a multi-object spectrograph, which will be integrated into the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), currently under construction in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
According to the official website of Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the instrument will enable the simultaneous observation of more than 200 cosmic objects, highlighting the country’s great potential in space science and technology.
Article first published by BRICS TV
