NK-33

NK-33

The Russian NK-33 was modified and renamed the AJ26-58 by Aerojet. This AJ26-58 is shown on the test stand at John C. Stennis Space Center.
Country of origin	Soviet Union
Date	1970s
Designer	Kuznetsov Design Bureau
Manufacturer	JSC Kuznetsov (Mashinostroitel)
Application	1st/2nd-stage engine
Predecessor	NK-15, NK-15V
Successor	AJ26-58, AJ26-59, AJ26-62
Liquid-fuel engine
Propellant	LOX / kerosene
Cycle	Staged combustion
Pumps	Turbopump
Performance
Thrust, vacuum	1,680 kN (380,000 lbf)
Thrust, sea-level	1,510 kN (340,000 lbf)
Throttle range	50–105%
Thrust-to-weight ratio	137
Chamber pressure	14.83 MPa (2,151 psi)
Specific impulse, vacuum	331 seconds (3.25 km/s)
Specific impulse, sea-level	297 seconds (2.91 km/s)
Dimensions
Length	3.7 m (12 ft)
Diameter	2 m (6 ft 7 in)
Dry weight	1,240 kg (2,730 lb)
Used in
N-1, Antares 100, Soyuz 2.1-v
References
References	[1]

The NK-33 and NK-43 are rocket engines designed and built in the late 1960s and early 1970s by the Kuznetsov Design Bureau. The NK designation is derived from the initials of chief designer Nikolay Kuznetsov. The NK-33 was among the most powerful LOX/RP-1 rocket engines when it was built, with a high specific impulse and low structural mass. They were intended for the ill-fated Soviet N1F Moon rocket, which was an upgraded version of the N1. The NK-33A rocket engine is now used on the first stage of the Soyuz-2-1v launch vehicle. When the supply of the NK-33 engines are exhausted, Russia will supply the new RD-193 rocket engine. It used to be the first stage engines of the Antares 100 rocket series, although those engines are rebranded the AJ-26 and the newer Antares 200 and Antares 200+ rocket series uses the RD-181 for the first stage engines, which is a modified RD-191, but shares some properties like a single combustion chamber unlike the two combustion chambers used in the RD-180 of the Atlas V and the four combustion chambers used in the RD-170 of the Energia and Zenit rocket families, and the RD-107, RD-108, RD-117, and RD-118 rocket engines used on all of the variants of the Soyuz rocket.