June 1983:letters

The Soviet Shuttle

Sir, There has been much talk in recent years about the development of a Soviet Space Shuttle vehicle. A recent publication (K. E. Tsiolkovski i Nauchno-Technicheski Progress, Nauka Publishers, 1982) contains an article by several Soviet engineers which describes the design and performance of the probable first serious study, a vehicle called "Albatross '' . The study was apparently concluded in the mid-1970's.

The vehicle would have a total weight of 1800 tonnes and consist of three sections: a fuel pod, a carrier jet and an orbital vehicle, the so-called "Raketoplan". The Orbital Jet would weigh some 1250 t and the Raketoplan, launched from the back of it, at about 60 km, some 320 t (238 t of propellant). The Raketoplan would be able to carry about 30 t to an altitude of.about 220 km at an inclination of 45°. Maximum g-load experienced during the ascent would be about 3.5g. The landing weight would be about 82 t.