The Russian government approved negotiations between NPO Energomash (part of Roscosmos) and the American company Orbital Sciences LLC on the sale of the latter Russian RD-181M engines. This is stated in the relevant order published on the official portal of legal information.
“Accept the proposal of the state corporation for space activities” Roskosmos “, agreed with the interested federal executive authorities, to negotiate a contract for the use of a liquid-propellant rocket engine RD181M (hereinafter referred to as the engine) in the Antares launch vehicle used to deliver cargo to the International Space station and launches of research and commercial spacecraft, “- said in the document.
To conclude a contract, a number of conditions must be met. In particular, the American company must ensure that Russian-powered Antares missiles will not be used to launch military vehicles.
The Energomash website does not contain information about the RD-181M engine.
An agreement on the supply by the American of the RD-180 engines developed by Energomash was signed in 1997. They are used to launch Atlas rockets. The sale of the RD-180 / RD-181 engines in the USA accounts for about a third of Energomash's total revenue.
Due to the aggravation of relations between the United States and Russia, the American Congress in 2015 banned the purchase of Russian engines, but later canceled the ban due to the impossibility of finding a replacement.
Several years ago, the Pentagon imposed a ban on the use of Russian space technology after December 31, 2022 to launch satellites that are planned to be used to provide services to the US military. “The law prescribes no longer to purchase additional engines after the 2022 financial year. We must abandon the RD-180 within the legal timeframe, ”General John Raymond, Commander of the US Space Force, said in 2019.
