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astronautix.com LOX/Kerosene
LR-87-3 Engine
LR-87-3 Engine -

Credit: Bob Fortune. 25,362 bytes. 266 x 343 pixels.

Oxidiser: LOX. Oxidiser Density: 1.14 g/cc. Oxidiser Freezing Point: -219.00 deg C. Oxidiser Boiling Point: -183.00 deg C.

Liquid oxygen was the earliest, cheapest, safest, and eventually the preferred oxidiser for large space launchers. Its main drawback is that it is moderately cryogenic, and therefore not suitable for military uses where storage of the fuelled missile and quick launch are required. Liquid oxygen, as normally supplied, is of 99.5 percent purity and is covered in the United States by Military Specification MIL-P-25508. High purity liquid oxygen has a light blue colour and is transparent. It has no characteristic odour. Liquid oxygen does not burn, but will support combustion vigorously. The liquid is stable; however, mixtures of fuel and liquid oxygen are shock-sensitive. Gaseous oxygen can form mixtures with fuel vapours that can be exploded by static electricity, electric spark, or flame. Liquid oxygen is obtained from air by fractional distillation. The 1959 United. States production of high-purity oxygen was estimated at nearly 2 million tonnes. The cost of liquid oxygen, at that time, ex-works, was $ 0.04 per kg. By the 1980's NASA was paying $ 0.08 per kg.

Fuel: Kerosene. Fuel Density: 0.81 g/cc. Fuel Freezing Point: -73.00 deg C. Fuel Boiling Point: 147.00 deg C.

In January 1953 Rocketdyne commenced the REAP program to develop a number of improvements to the engines being developed for the Navaho and Atlas missiles. Among these was development of a special grade of kerosene suitable for rocket engines. Prior to that any number of rocket propellants derived from petroleum had been used. Goddard had begun with gasoline, and there were experimental engines powered by kerosene, diesel oil, paint thinner, or jet fuel kerosene JP-4 or JP-5. The wide variance in physical properties among fuels of the same class led to the identification of narrow-range petroleum fractions, embodied in 1954 in the standard US kerosene rocket fuel RP-1, covered by Military Specification MIL-R-25576. In Russia, similar specifications were developed for kerosene under the specifications T-1 and RG-1. The Russians also developed a compound of unknown formulation in the 1980's known as 'Sintin', or synthetic kerosene. Rocket propellant RP-1 is a straight-run kerosene fraction, which is subjected to further treatment, i.e., acid washing, sulphur dioxide extraction. Thus, unsaturated substances which polymerise in storage are removed, as are sulphur-containing hydrocarbons. Furthermore, in order to meet specification requirements of density, heat of combustion, and aromatic content, the kerosene must be obtained from crudes with a high naphthene content. RP-1 is an excellent solvent for many organic materials. The flash point is above 43 deg C. Above that temperature RP-1 will form explosive mixtures with air. The temperature range for explosive mixtures (rich limit) is 79 to 85 deg C. RP-1 is not so toxic as the JP series of fuels because of its lower aromatic content. In the United States, suitable kerosene fractions in 1960 were limited almost exclusively to the West Coast. The estimated 1956 United States production was 7700 tonnes, and the price was $0.05 per kg. By the 1980's it was typically $ 0.20 per kg. Russian formulations have typical densities of 0.82 to 0.85 g/cc, and even higher densities were achieved in the N1 and Soyuz 11A511U rockets by superchilling the fuel prior to loading.

Engines Using Lox/Kerosene

Eng-engineslink Thrust(vac)-kgf Thrust(vac)-kN Isp-sec Isp (sea level)-sec Designed for Status
SE-7-25 11   277      
RS-34 Attitude Control 31   255      
SE-7-85 38   295      
SE-7-100 45   296      
P4-1 Sustainer 48   262      
P4-1 Booster 249   232      
S5.80.1100-0 300 2.94     Upper Stages Developed 1990s
LR-101-11 540 5.30 246 209 First Stages In Production
RS-36 Sustainer 940   262      
AABS 1,813   285      
RD-161-1 2,000 19.60 360   Upper Stages Design concept 1990's
RD-161-2 2,030 19.90 365   Upper Stages Design concept 1990's
S1.35800 3,100 30.00     First Stages Out of Production
RD-0103 3,528 34.60 277   First Stages Out of Production
RD-0102 3,997 39.20 260   First Stages Out of Production
FastTrack 4,500 44.10 348   First Stages Development -1996
RD-0105 5,000 49.40 316   Upper Stages Out of Production
RD-0109 5,560 54.52 324   Upper Stages Out of Production
S1.5400 6,670 66.70 340   Upper Stages Out of Production
8D726 6,800 66.70 350   Upper Stages Developed -1964
S1.5400A 6,860 67.30 342   Upper Stages In Production
RD-58Z 7,240 71.00 361   Upper Stages Developed 1981-1990
RD-58 8,500 83.40 349   Upper Stages Out of Production
RD-58MF 8,500 83.40 353   Upper Stages In Production
RD-58M 8,500 83.40 353   Upper Stages In Production
RD-58S 8,800 86.30 361   Upper Stages In Production
17D12 8,800 86.30 362   Upper Stages Out of Production
17D11 8,800 86.30 362   Upper Stages Out of Production
S2.253 derivative 10,945 93.20 250 217 First Stages Design concept 1990's
RD-0242-HC 12,746 125.00 312   First Stages Developed 1998-
X-405 13,745 134.80 270 248 First Stages Out of Production
RD-0245-HC 21,822 214.00 320   First Stages Design concept 1990's
Liberty-1 25,000 245.20 270 230 First Stages Developed 1982-1988
Press Fed 25k 25,000 245.20 270 230 First Stages Design concept 1960's
Fastrac 27,423 269.00 310   First Stages In Production
RD-0124M1 30,000 294.30 359   Upper Stages Developed 1998-
RD-0124M 30,000 294.30 348   Upper Stages Developed 1998-
RD-0124 30,000 294.30 359 331 Upper Stages Developed 1993-
RD-0110 30,380 297.90 326   Upper Stages In Production
RD-0108 30,380 297.90 326   Upper Stages Out of Production
RD-0107 30,380 297.90 326   Upper Stages Out of Production
RD-0124-14D23 30,453 298.64 331   First Stages Developed 1990's
RD-0124 sea-level 30,454 298.64 331   First Stages Designed 1986-1990
RD-0106 31,305 304.00 330   Upper Stages Out of Production
RD-134 35,000 343.00 357   Upper Stages Design concept
RD-134R 35,000 343.00     Upper Stages Design concept 1993-on
LR-91-3 36,288 355.90 308 210 Upper Stages Out of Production
XLR-105-5 37,038 363.20 309 215 First Stages Out of Production
LR-105-3 38,200 375.00 308 220 First Stages Out of Production
LR-105-5 39,400 386.40 316 220 First Stages In Production
LR-105-7 39,400 386.40 316 220 First Stages In Production
RS-56-OSA 39,400 386.40 316 220 First Stages In Production
NK-9V-11D54 40,000 392.00 340 312 Upper Stages Out of Production
NK-31 41,000 402.00 353   First Stages Out of Production
NK-39 41,000 402.00 352   Upper Stages In Production
NK-9V 45,000 441.30 340 312 Upper Stages Developed 1959-65
NK-9 45,000 441.30 327 280 First Stages Out of Production
NK-9V-11D53 45,785 449.00 340 312 Upper Stages Out of Production
RD-0234-HC 52,617 516.00 331 310 First Stages Developed 1996-
RD-0210-HC 60,367 592.00 342   Upper Stages Design concept 1990's
LR-83-NA-1 61,393 602.00 282 248 First Stages Hardware
11D53F 62,500 612.00 346   Upper Stages Design concept 1965
RD-105 64,000 627.60 302 260 First Stages Out of Production
RD-106 65,800 645.30 310 250 First Stages Out of Production
RD-0244-HC 70,360 690.00 332   First Stages Design concept 1990's
LR-87-3 74,842 733.90 290 256 First Stages Out of Production
11D53M 75,000 735.00 347   Upper Stages Design concept 1965
MB-3 Press Mod 77,000 755.10 285 250 First Stages Design concept 1982
XLR-89-1 77,366 758.70 282 248 First Stages Out of Production
XLR-89-5 77,367 758.70 282 248 First Stages Out of Production
S-3 77,367 758.70 282 248 First Stages Out of Production
LR-79-7 77,367 758.70 282 248 First Stages Out of Production
MB-3-1 77,564 760.60 285 250 First Stages Out of Production
RD-120.01 80,000 784.00 329   Upper Stages Design concept
RD-108-8D77 82,000 804.00 315 246 First Stages Out of Production
RD-0256-HC 83,617 820.00 344   Upper Stages Design concept 1996-
LR-89-5 83,870 822.50 290 256 First Stages In Production
RD-120 85,000 833.00 350   Upper Stages In Production
RZ.2 85,282 836.30 282 248 First Stages Out of Production
RD-120M 86,720 850.40 331 304 First Stages Out of Production
MB-3-3 88,380 866.70 290 253 First Stages Out of Production
RD-120K 89,000 873.00 336 298 First Stages Developed 1995-
X-1 89,780          
RD-120.03 90,000 882.00 353   Upper Stages Design concept
RD-146 90,000 883.00     Upper Stages Design concept 1993-on
RD-108-8D75PS 93,000 912.00 308 241 First Stages Out of Production
RD-108-8D75 93,000 912.00 308 241 First Stages Out of Production
RD-108-8D75-1958 95,500 941.00 315 246 First Stages Out of Production
RD-108-8D75K 95,900 941.00 315 248 First Stages Out of Production
RD-108-8D75-1959 96,000 941.00 315 248 First Stages Out of Production
H-1 96,645 947.70 289 255 First Stages Out of Production
LR-89-7 96,670 948.00 294 259 First Stages In Production
RD-107-8D74 99,000 971.00 306 250 First Stages Out of Production
RD-107-8D76 99,000 971.00 310 252 First Stages Out of Production
RD-107-8D74PS 99,000 971.00 306 250 First Stages Out of Production
RD-108-8D727K 99,600 976.00 316   Upper Stages Out of Production
RD-108-8D727 99,600 977.00 316 251 First Stages In Production
RDKS-100 100,000 980.00 285   First Stages Developed 1946-51
RKDS-100 100,000   285 252 First Stages Study 1946
RD-107-8D74-1958 101,000 996.00 312 254 First Stages Out of Production
RD-107-11D511 101,130 992.00 314 257 First Stages In Production
RD-107-8D74-1959 101,500 996.00 313 256 First Stages Out of Production
RD-107-8D74K 101,500 996.00 313 256 First Stages Out of Production
RD-107-8D728 101,500 996.00 314 257 First Stages In Production
RD-107-11D511P 101,600 996.40 314 257 First Stages In Production
RD-108-11D512 101,632 997.00 315 248 First Stages In Production
RD-118 101,931   311 245 First Stages Design concept
RD-108-11D512P 103,100 1,011.00 319 252 First Stages In Production
RD-117 104,123   310 264 First Stages Design concept
RS-27 104,319 1,023.00 295 264 First Stages Out of Production
H-1b 105,053 1,030.20 296 262 First Stages Out of Production
RS-56-OBA 106,750 1,046.80 299 263 First Stages In Production
RS-27C 107,498 1,054.20 302 255 First Stages In Production
RS-27A 107,500 1,054.20 302 255 First Stages In Production
H-1c 115,300 1,130.00 296 262 First Stages Design concept 1960's
D-2 140,000 1,373.00 288 240 First Stages Out of Production
RD-110 140,000 1,374.00 285 244 First Stages Out of Production
Sanger-Bredt 145,700 1,428.80 306 210 First Stages Study 1942
8D415K 150,000 1,471.00     First Stages Developed 1960-
NK-15 157,400 1,544.00 318 297 First Stages Out of Production
RD-111 166,000 1,628.00 317 275 First Stages Out of Production
NK-33 167,000 1,638.00 331 297 First Stages In Production
NK-15V 168,000 1,648.00 325   First Stages Out of Production
NK-43 179,000 1,755.00 346 246 Upper Stages In Production
E-1 192,175   290 260 First Stages Development 1955-1959
RS-X 192,730 1,890.00     First Stages Design concept -1997
11D51F 195,670 1,918.00 331 296 First Stages Design concept 1965
11D52F 200,000 1,961.00 347   Upper Stages Design concept 1965
RD-191M 201,600 1,976.00 338   First Stages Developed 1996-
RD-191 208,560 2,079.00 337 311 First Stages Study 1990's
MA-5A 214,144 2,100.00 296 263 First Stages In Production
NK-15F 222,300 2,180.00 350 290 First Stages Development 1966-1972
11D52M 280,000 2,745.00 330 296 Upper Stages Design concept 1965
11D51M 290,000 2,843.00 346   First Stages Design concept 1965
RD-180 423,050 4,152.00 338 311 First Stages Hardware
RLA-600 650,000       First Stages Design 1972-1974
F-1 789,324 7,740.50 304 265 First Stages Out of Production
RD-171 806,000 7,903.00 337 309 First Stages In Production
RD-170 806,000 7,903.00 337 309 First Stages Out of Production
RD-174 806,100 7,905.00     First Stages Developed 1995-
RD-173 834,230 8,181.00 337 311 First Stages Design concept 1990's
RD-172 851,871 8,354.00 337 311 First Stages Developed -1994
F-1A 937,093 9,189.60 310 270 First Stages Study NASA 1966
RLA-1200 1,300,000       First Stages Design 1972-1974
PF RP-1 2,070,700 20,306.00 275 253 First Stages Design concept 1960's
5 mlbf RP-4 2,494,250 24,459.00 299 260 First Stages Study 1963
L-6.55 3,162,250 31,010.00 330 310 First Stages Study General Dynamics 1963
L-7.70 3,773,750 37,007.00 335 310 First Stages Study General Dynamics 1963

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Last update 3 May 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .