Roscosmos has officially showcased a prototype of a new methane–liquid oxygen hybrid engine at the Vostochny Cosmodrome. This engine is designed to power Russia’s future generation of reusable launch vehicles, positioning the nation to directly compete with systems like SpaceX’s Starship and China’s Long March 9 reusable rockets. Developed by the renowned NPO Energomash, the engine is engineered to deliver significant advantages over Russia’s traditional kerosene-based propulsion systems, promising dramatically higher efficiency, cleaner combustion, and substantially lower refurbishment costs between flights.
This demonstration represents Russia’s most decisive technological step toward developing fully reusable spacecraft in nearly a decade. Initial engineering tests suggest the engine possesses the robust endurance required to support 15 to 20 reuse cycles with minimal necessary maintenance. Engineers have confirmed that this methane engine will serve as the core power unit for the upcoming Amur-LNG rocket. This new launch vehicle is specifically targeted at significantly lowering the cost of access to space, particularly for satellite launches commissioned by BRICS nations and Russia’s rapidly growing private space sector.
The unveiling clearly signals Russia’s determined push to regain competitiveness within the global space industry. The country faces challenges from international sanctions and declining revenue from commercial satellite launches, making this domestic development of a cost-effective, reusable system a crucial component of its long-term strategic plan for space dominance.
