United Engine Corporation (UEC) is working on upgrading the Russian NK-39 rocket engine for European space program; the engine will be used for launching shuttles by means of “air launch”, Vzglyad reports with reference to former UEC CEO Vladislav Masalov.

«Air launch» is the method of launching rockets or aircraft from a carrier (usually another aircraft) at an altitude of several kilometers.

According to Masalov, UEC signed a contract with Swiss Space Systems Holding SA (S3, Switzerland) for “studying the possibility of upgrading NK-39 engines for SOAR S3 shuttle program». «In the near term we are going to inspect the engines already manufactured and define upgrades required to use the engine in the network of this project,» Masalov said.

According to him, the corporation should assess its financial and production capabilities and consider the possibilities for reconstructing testing facilities and resuming mass production. S3 Company is developing a system for launching small satellites, based on using Airbus carrier aircraft and sub-orbital SOAR shuttle, whose maiden flight is scheduled for 2018. The company’s engineers are completing the preliminary design stage of the project.

In autumn 2014 UEC and S3 negotiated the possibility of fitting the European space shuttle, launched by means of “air start”, with NK-39 engine. NK-39 is the liquid-fuel rocket engine with a simplified pneumatic-hydraulic configuration, upgraded automatic equipment and improved turbo pump and combustion chamber. Reliability of NK-39 was confirmed by tests; its thrust is 45,5 tons, resource – up to 4000 sec, the number of firings – up to 12. NK-39K is the non-expendable engine designed for multiple firings and intended for first stages of launch vehicles. The production engines have been certified successfully.