VKS-DM

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VKS-DM

Family: Winged. Country: USSR. Status: Study 1988.

Air launched from Gerakl / NPO Molniya-1000 heavy-lift aircraft, catamaran layout, twin-fuselage triplane. Release conditions: Suspended load, 450,000 kg, 900 kph at 9,500 m altitude. Effective velocity gain compared to vertical launch 270 m/s.

Specifications

to: 200 km Orbit. at: 51.0 degrees. Total Mass: 450,000 kg.

VKS-DM Chronology

1992 Dec 18 -

First flight of Molniya-1 triplane.
Subscale proof-of-concept vehicle for Gerakl / Molniya-1000 catamaran subsonic 900 tonne aircraft design that would be used for VKS-DM spaceplane.

Bibliography:

458 - Lozinskiy, Need title - Air space vehicles, .

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .