KVD-1 was an upper stage LOX/LH cryogenic engine developed by the Isayev Design Bureau (now KB KhIMMASH) of

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

in the early 1960s. It is a modified version of the RD-56, developed for a never-completed cryogenic upper stage of the N-1 super-heavy lift rocket, with the goal of enabling crewed lunar missions by the USSR. The KVD-1 produces a thrust of 7.5 tonnes.

Initial development

KVD-1 was originated from the RD-56 engine which were intended to be used for the

Soviet crewed lunar programs The Soviet crewed lunar programs were a series of programs pursued by the Soviet Union to Moon landing, land humans on the Moon, Space Race, in competition with the United States Apollo program. The Soviet government publicly denied participat ...

. RD-56 (11D56) engines were developed for N1M rocket programme, the planned derivative of N1, but later they were abandoned due to four successive launch failures of N1. Later the design of the engine was sold to ISRO under the name "KVD-1" under a deal worth $120 million with the Soviet agency Glavkosmos which enabled ISRO to import 2 KVD-1 engines and an agreement for transfer of technology from Russia.

ISRO programme

The engines were proven to be inefficient because of their low thrust-to-weight ratio. Later the Russian space agency optimised the engine to launch payloads with a mass of 2.5 tonnes or less. The INSAT-4CR satellite with a mass of 2,140 kg was launched in 2007 but reached a lower than planned orbit due to the poor performance of the third stage's single KVD-1 engine. The satellite subsequently used its own propulsion to get to the planned orbit. Because of this the useful life of the satellite was shortened.

Sanctions imposed by United States

In 1991, an agreement was signed between India and Russia for technology transfer to India so that KVD-1 engines can be built indigenously in India. But later in July 1993, US imposed sanctions on ISRO and Glavkosmos saying it voids the

Missile Technology Control Regime The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is a multilateral export control regime. It is an informal political understanding among 35 member states that seek to limit the proliferation of missiles and missile technology. The regime was formed ...

. After suffering setback in this case

ISRO The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO ) is India's national space agency, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It serves as the principal research and development arm of the Department of Space (DoS), overseen by the Prime Minister o ...

was forced to develop its own cryogenic programme.

Features

The engine was single chamber fueled rocket which could be used as cryogenic engines for launching of spacecraft that could be put in elliptical and geostationary orbits. * Unfueled mass: 282 kg (621 lb) * Height: 2.14 m * Diameter: 1.56 m * Specific impulse: 462 seconds * Thrust: 69.60 kN (15,647 lbf) * Burn time: 800 seconds * Nozzle ratio：200

Use

KVD-1 was used in following launch vehicles * GSLV Mk I

References

External links

astronautix.com
{{Rocket engines Rocket engines of the Soviet Union Rocket engines using hydrogen propellant Rocket engines using the staged combustion cycle Rocket engines of Russia KB KhimMash rocket engines India–Soviet Union relations