FIRST STEPS TOWARD SPACE - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 10
possibilities of using liquid propellant rockets for
flights with low trajectories.
After the 07 and 09 rocket projects, work on the
05 rocket was begun. This rocket (Figure 8) was
designed to use the nitric acid/kerosene ORM-50
engine developed by GDL. Design of the rocket was
completed in 1933 when the Rocket Research Institute
was being organized, and RNII continued its
further development.
On the basis of the 05 rocket's design, RNII
developed, under the sponsorship of the Ail-Union
Aeronautic Research and Technical Society
(Aviavnito) the stratospheric rocket "Aviavnito"
(Figure 9). It used the 12-K liquid rocket engine
which operated on liquid oxygen/96% alcohol
and generated 300 kg thrust for a duration of
60 sec. However, the flat stabilizing fins of the
05 rocket were replaced with new, profiled hollow
fins. The initial rocket weighed approximately
100 kg, of which 32 kg was propellant. The 12-K
motor developed a specific impulse of 205-207
kg-sec/kg. The entire engine installation weighed
15 kg. 4 The rocket was designed to reach an altitude
of 10,800 m and contained a parachute. An altimeter,
of the barograph type developed by S. A.
Pivovarov, was mounted on the rocket.
The initial launching of the Aviavnito rocket took
place on 6 April 1936. Pravda published a article
about the launching which included a photo of the
rocket in the launching position prior to take-off.
The correspondent described the rocket flight as
follows:
The engineer has switched on the electric ignition plug.
Gray smoke of evaporating propellant. Spark. And suddenly
a dazzling yellow flame appeared at the base of the rocket.
The rocket moved slowly up the guide rods of the launching
frame, slipped out of its steel embrace and rushed upwards.
"••"
FIGURE 8.—Drawing of Rocket 05.
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The (light was an extremely impressive and beautiful spectacle.
A flame rushed out of the motor nozzle. The rapid
flow of gas was accompanied by a low-pitched roaring sound.
A parachute opened showing its white canopy after the
rocket reached a low altitude and then landed smoothly on
a snow field/'
For subsequent launchings a wooden tower was
constructed with a guide, 48 m long, constructed
from a narrow-gauge rail, which engaged the
launching lugs of the rocket.
On 15 August 1937 an Aviavnito rocket reached
an altitude of 3000 meters, 6 but on descent the
parachute was torn from the rocket, and the rocket
was severely damaged upon impact.
Some of the individuals working on the second
team were, F. L. Yakitis, V. S. Suyev, V. N. Galkovsky,
S. I. Kruglova, O. K. Parovina, N. I. Shul'gina,
V. A. Andreyev, E. I. Snegireva, and N. I. Yefremov.
In summary, the results of the GIRD second
team's activity were as follows:
1. Bringing about the flights of early liquid propellant
rockets.
2. First use of liquid oxygen and other oxidants
in combination with various fuels.
3. The first rocket to use liquid oxygen and a
semisolid (hybrid) fuel.
4. Initiation of the development of a pump driven
by liquid oxygen.
5. Developing and experimentally proving methods
of calculating rocket design and performance.
All the above problems were studied experimentally
and in most cases results were obtained which subsequently
served as the basis for realistic tasks and
development programs.
The main task of GIRD and its second team was
to prove that the principle of jet propulsion was
quite workable even with the state of the art of