Ukraine successfully tests new rocket engine

The liquid-propellant rocket engine RD861K has successfully undergone tests at Ukraine's state-owned Production Association Yuzhny Machine-Building Plant named after A.M. Makarov (Yuzhmash, or Pivdenmash in Ukrainian), the company's press service has told Ukrinform.

According to the report, this was the second and final stage of research and development tests.

"Successful tests have completed the ground testing of the RD861K engine and finally confirmed the operability of the structure, systems and components of the engine amid specified operating conditions," the press service said.

The RD861K engine was developed by the Yuzhnoye Design Office and manufactured at Yuzhmash. It is to be used as a sustainer engine on the third stage of the Cyclone-4 launch vehicle.

Work on the engine has been going on since 2006. Specialists of the design office and the plant have been working out the engine to achieve proper technical characteristics.

The press service also said that the achieved specifications allowed the use of the RD861K engine on the second stage of the promising launch vehicle Cyclone-4M the development of which is currently underway.

Yuzhmash is part of the State Space Agency of Ukraine.

Since its foundation, the company has created four generations of strategic missile systems, about 400 spacecraft of 70 different modifications, and space launch vehicles of the Cyclone, Kosmos and Zenit families.

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