RD-0120
Soviet rocket engine
title: "RD-0120" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rocket-engines-of-the-soviet-union", "rocket-engines-using-hydrogen-propellant", "soviet-inventions", "rocket-engines-using-the-staged-combustion-cycle", "kbkha-rocket-engines"] description: "Soviet rocket engine" topic_path: "general/rocket-engines-of-the-soviet-union" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RD-0120" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Soviet rocket engine ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox rocket engine"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | RD-0120 |
| image | RD-0120_in_Kaluga_2.jpg |
| image_size | 250 |
| caption | Model of RD-0120 |
| country_of_origin | Soviet Union |
| date | 1976-1987 |
| first_date | 1987-05-15 |
| last_date | 1988-11-15 |
| designer | OKB-154 |
| manufacturer | Voronezh Mechanical Plant |
| purpose | Sustainer engine |
| associated | Energia |
| successor | RD-0122 |
| status | Retired |
| type | liquid |
| oxidiser | LOX |
| fuel | LH |
| mixture_ratio | 6:1 |
| cycle | Staged combustion |
| combustion_chamber | 1 |
| nozzle_ratio | 85.70 |
| thrust(Vac) | 1961.3 kN, 106% |
| thrust(SL) | 1526 kN, 106% |
| throttle_range | |
| thrust_to_weight | 57.93, vac., 106% thrust |
| chamber_pressure | 21.9 MPa |
| specific_impulse_vacuum | 455 isp |
| specific_impulse_sea_level | 354 isp |
| burn_time | 500s |
| restarts | |
| gimbal | ±7° |
| length | 4550 mm |
| diameter | 2420 mm |
| dry_weight | 3450 kg |
| used_in | Energia core stage |
| references | |
| :: |
| name = RD-0120 | image = RD-0120_in_Kaluga_2.jpg | image_size = 250 | caption = Model of RD-0120 | country_of_origin = Soviet Union | date = 1976-1987 | first_date = 1987-05-15 | last_date = 1988-11-15 | designer = OKB-154 | manufacturer = Voronezh Mechanical Plant | purpose = Sustainer engine | associated = Energia | predecessor = | successor = RD-0122 | status = Retired | type = liquid | oxidiser = LOX | fuel = LH | mixture_ratio = 6:1 | cycle = Staged combustion | pumps = | description = | combustion_chamber = 1 | nozzle_ratio = 85.70 | thrust = | thrust_at_altitude = | thrust(Vac) = 1961.3 kN, 106% | thrust(SL) = 1526 kN, 106% | throttle_range = | thrust_to_weight = 57.93, vac., 106% thrust | chamber_pressure = 21.9 MPa | specific_impulse = | specific_impulse_vacuum = 455 isp | specific_impulse_sea_level = 354 isp | total_impulse = | burn_time = 500s | restarts = | gimbal = ±7° | capacity = | dimensions = | length = 4550 mm | diameter = 2420 mm | dry_weight = 3450 kg | used_in = Energia core stage | references = | notes =
The RD-0120 (, GRAU index: 11D122) was the Energia core rocket engine, fueled by LH/LOX, roughly equivalent to the RS-25 (Space Shuttle Main Engine, SSME). These were attached to the Energia core rather than the orbiter, so were not recoverable after a flight, but created a more modular design (the Energia core could be used for a variety of missions besides launching the shuttle). The RD-0120 and the RS-25 have both similarities and differences. The RD-0120 achieved a slightly higher specific impulse and combustion chamber pressure with reduced complexity and cost (but it was single-use), as compared to the RS-25. It uses a fuel-rich staged combustion cycle and a single shaft to drive both the fuel and oxidizer turbopumps. Some of the Russian design features, such as the simpler and cheaper channel wall nozzles, were evaluated by Rocketdyne for possible upgrades to the RS-25. It achieved combustion stability without the acoustic resonance chambers that the RS-25 required.
Specifications
RD-0120
- Thrust at 106% throttle (vacuum): 1961.3 kN, (sea-level): 1526 kN
- Specific impulse (vacuum): 455 isp, (sea-level): 354 isp
- Burn time: nominal 480–500s, certified for 1670s
- Basic engine weight: 3450 kg
- Length: 4.55m, diameter: 2.42m
- Propellants: LOX / LH
- Mixture ratio: 6:1
- Contractor: Chemical Automatics Design Bureau (Конструкторское Бюро Химавтоматики)
- Vehicle application: Energia core stage.
References
References
- Hendrickx, Bart. (2007). "Energiya-Buran: The Soviet Space Shuttle". Praxis Publishing Ltd.
- "RD-0120".
- "ЖРД РД-0120 (11Д122)".
- "Liquid Rocket Engine". Voronezh Mechanical Plant.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::