Energomash company employees stand near RD-180 engines prepared for shipment to the United States in a shop at the Energomash, leading Russian rocket engine company, in Moscow, June 6, 2002.

Energomash company employees stand near RD-180 engines prepared for shipment to the United States in a shop at the Energomash, leading Russian rocket engine company, in Moscow, June 6, 2002. Maxim Marmur/AP

Wishing for a US-Made Heavy Lift Rocket Won’t Make It So

If Congress really wants to ditch Russia’s RD-180 engine, it needs to fund the research — and get ready to wait.

No one needs to review rocket blueprints, wins and losses, or successful and failed launches, to know that the business of getting heavy lift payloads into space is a tricky one. It took a decade and several step changes in engine technology (Atlas, Atlas IIAS, Atlas III, and finally Atlas V) to develop what we use today, a proven American rocket with a proven Russian rocket engine. It will take at least another decade, according to recent expert assessments, to get an American-made heavy lift rocket engine designed, tested, and regularly into space without mishap.

So why is Congress still kicking a dead horse—or a dead rocket idea?

These days, we hear more about rocket misfires, engine troubles, bungled landings, and failures dressed as success than we do about plain vanilla launches of long-tested rockets that accomplish the mission. Even as young rocket companies repeatedly push the public relations button, arguing that every new launch they undertake is somehow a step closer to heavy lift or a trip to Mars, actual heavy lift missions draw only yawns. Particularly uneventful are launches of Atlas Vs that put critical cargo into deep orbit with the Russian RD-180 engine that Congress so dislikes.

Then there’s the other half of the Russian-American space relationship: Russia’s agreement to transport American astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

Unless we aim to give up both kinds of missions for the time being, we are best not to give up either. We still want Americans in space, even as we wait for a reliable American-built engine to get our astronauts there. And we still want a heavy lift capacity to preserve U.S. national security.

Related: This Painfully Honest Look at the Space Industry Just Got an Executive Fired
See also: How 3D Printing Could Help Replace Russian Rockets

So what is the big deal? As some in Congress have pointed out, America trades by the billions of dollars with Russia each year—as we do with China—and we are also cooperative in many spheres, especially space. So then, why all this squawking, in the U.S. Senate especially, about working with Russia to get our astronauts and key payloads safely into space?

In sum, one or two U.S. Senators apparently want to grease the skids of heavy lift space launch for a smaller American space company to take over the job.

U.S. lawmakers should also stop feuding among themselves, and recognize that we have an option today—as politically imperfect a solution as it may be.

In principle, one has to say: Why not? If we had the existing engine, and could do it, why not switch to American heavy lift engines? Unfortunately, that option is roughly a decade away, and members of Congress know it. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that even leading experts, part of an “independent panel,” concluded that Congress should stand down—or at least not attempt to push heavy lift capacity toward an ill-prepared American company. Such a move would, they reported, be technically unwise, inordinately expensive, and “risky” for national security.

This may be sobering news, but it is also not unexpected. Congress has dawdled for years both over human (i.e., man-rated) space launch options and, more obviously, by doing nothing in the area of fostering reliable heavy lift launch capacity with an American-made rocket engine.

So, we are where we are. Congress should obviously underwrite a decade of research, design, development, testing and whatever else is needed, to get an American engine that has real heavy lift capability. They should also stop feuding among themselves, and recognize that we have an option today—as politically imperfect a solution as it may be.

The option we have today is a live horse, a live rocket, a live option. Moreover, this space launch work horse—the combination of Atlas V and RD-180 engines—continues to accomplish its missions reliably and safely.

Congress should get back to what matters—like long-term planning and balanced budgets—instead of parochial square-offs, cranky hearings and personal tiffs. Let’s use in space—as we do here on Earth—what works, while planning for a decade out. Let us get past the costly, emotional, politically-motivated idea that heavy lift engines made in America are close at hand.

Kicking these dead horses—and rockets—is getting old fast. 

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.