by A YouTube channel called ‘Hazegrayart’ has created a visually stunning video that depicts the proposed Soviet-era space shuttle launch system known as the Alexeyev/Sukhoi Albatros. This concept, developed in 1974, aimed to launch a Soviet space shuttle on the back of a carrier spaceplane, which would be launched from a hydrofoiling barge. While the project never came to fruition, this video gives us a glimpse of what it would have looked like.
The collaboration between aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi and hydrofoil specialist Rostislav Alexeyev resulted in the development of the Albatros launch system. This three-stage system had the capability of launching a space shuttle without the need for a launchpad or runway, with all stages being recoverable and reusable.
At the core of the system was the massive hydrofoiling barge named the ‘Albatros Momentum Block.’ This 70-meter long, 2,000-tonne barge would carry the 91-meter long, delta wing Albatros Carrier Aircraft, weighing 1,250 tonnes. The carrier aircraft was equipped with a liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen rocket capable of generating 7.84 million kN (1,762,500 lbf) of thrust.
Situated on top of the carrier aircraft was the smaller 49-meter long Albatros Raketoplan space shuttle, which weighed just 320 tonnes when fully fueled. The shuttle had its own rocket capable of producing 1.96 million kN (440,620 lbf) of thrust.
The plan involved the second-stage carrier aircraft utilizing its rockets to replenish its fuel while in motion, drawing from a 180-tonne reserve on the barge. This would accelerate the barge to hydrofoiling speed, reducing drag and propelling it to a launch speed of approximately 180 km/h (112 mph) within two minutes of firing the rockets.
At this point, the carrier aircraft would have enough lift under its wings for liftoff, propelling the shuttle to a high altitude. The shuttle would then separate from the carrier and continue its ascent to orbit using its own rocket power, while the carrier aircraft glided back to Earth for a landing.
However, despite its innovative design, the Alexeyev/Sukhoi Albatros never received approval. This is fortunate, as hydrofoiling becomes increasingly risky above speeds of 113 km/h (70 mph). Cavitation, a phenomenon in which the water boils due to low pressure over the wings of hydrofoils, becomes a concern. This can result in damage, fatigue, and bending of the hydrofoils – not an ideal scenario when transporting valuable space shuttles and launch vehicles.
The video created by Hazegrayart offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of forgotten and unrealized aircraft and spacecraft proposals. While the Alexeyev/Sukhoi Albatros may have remained a concept, it serves as a reminder of the incredible ingenuity and ambition of aerospace engineers in the past.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
