EXPERIMENTAL BASE
Scientific research works aimed at manufacturing perfect LRE, SRM, ABE, EP, new effective propellants with the improved ecological characteristics, onboard power plants are performed using the modern, multifunctional constantly updating experimental base. It includes a series of test facilities being unique in terms of the complex of technical characteristics having no analogues in Russia and other countries with the developed rocketry and space engineering:

Test facility for investigations of the working process in LRE (including reusable one as well as tripropellant ones), functionability of oxidizer gas passages, advanced cycles on the components: hydrocarbon fuels and hydrogen with liquid oxygen. Experimental studies of the operating conditions of heat-stressed passages and elements of TPU as well as material resistance and coating resistance in the oxidizer medium in the conditions of high and cryogenic temperatures are performed in the test facility. Thrust is 3.5 t and pressure is up to 30 MPa.

Test facility for investigations of HF stability of LRE gas generators and combustion chambers: propellant flow rate up to 10 kg/s, temperature up to 500-2100°C, pressure up to 20 MPa. The procedure of the working process stability firing simulation developed at the Center and realized in the test facility allows one to perform the choice, testing and optimization of the HF oscillations elimination methods in the model conditions

Test facility for investigations and tests (including round-the-clock ones) of low thrust LRE (up to 100 kN) and their aggregates on different components, various principles of operation (chemical, plasma, combined, etc.) both in stationary and impulse modes and in ground as well as vacuum conditions. Control and measuring systems of the test facility are computerized in high degree.

Test facility for investigations of the working processes, energy, cavitation and vibration characteristics of turbopump units (TPU) and their separate aggregates (pumps, boost pumps, turbines, sealing assemblies) as well as making and experimental development of methods and means for technical diagnostics of TPU critical assemblies. Power of drive is up to 300 kW, rotational speed up to 25...30 thousand rpm.

Test facility for investigations and tests of equipped LRE, their units and aggregates on the new and standard propellants. It includes installations for research of the fuel cooling capability for LRE (hydrocarbon fuel velocity up to 70 m/s, heat flow up to 70 MW/m2, pressure up to 20 MPa), for experimental development of two-phase ammonia thermoregulating systems.

Test facility for investigations of processes in propellant components storage systems (including cryogenic), LRE tanks; it is equipped with aggregates for liquefaction of hydrogen and helium. Output is 20 l/s and 45 l/s correspondingly.

Test facility for investigations of hydraulic characteristics of LRE elements (pipelines, injector heads, injectors, flow meters, etc.) on model liquid (water).

A complex of test stands for investigations and tests of electric rocket thrusters, their assemblies and elements of electric propulsion system. It consists of more than 10 installations including the unique cryogenic vacuum stand of 90 m3 volume at the project output of cryogenic pumps 200,000 l/s.

Test facility for investigations of standard and advanced solid propellants, heat protective and erosion-resistant materials, energy and control characteristics of nozzle blocks in rocket engines.

Differential test facility for precision measurements of axial thrust, lateral forces as well as thrust and flow rate coefficients in the model nozzles and nozzle configurations of any cycles.

Test facility for investigations of acoustic characteristics of jets in propulsion systems equipped by the noise-attenuating box at the attenuation factor 0.97 at f>300 Hz, working components: H2+O2, kerosene + O2, and others. Total pressure is up to 0.5 MPa and temperature up to 3000 K.

Test facility for thermovacuum tests of spacecraft elements in the conditions simulating the Sun in space in the volume of 30 m3.

Test facility for investigations of flying vehicles supersonic flow characteristics. Mach numbers are up to 6, total pressure is up to 107 Pa, deceleration temperature is up to 600K, Reynolds numbers are up to 105. Test facility for investigations of high-intensive radiation influence on different substances. It is equipped with a powerful CO2-laser.

Test facility of electrophysical measurements for investigations of processes and UHF diagnostics of low-temperature plasma. It is equipped with vacuum chamber of 50 m3 volume, maximum vacuum up to 10-6 torr.

A complex of test stands for investigations of small-sized electron accelerators with beam injection into gas of the ambient pressure with the purpose to develop principally new out-vacuum electron-beam technologies. The stands are equipped with devices for generation and intensive continuous electron beam injection into the atmosphere at energy up to 300 keV and power of 1...1000 kW. Besides,the KeRC experimental base is equipped with: Simulator of external factors for investigations of the satellite materials & elements resistance to mechanical and electrostatic effects: mechanical pressure impulse is up to 10-1 MPa*s; energy of electrostatic effect - 105 J, current strength - 106 A. Simulator of external factors for investigations of space factors influence on satellites: the volume of the pressure chamber is 3 m3, pressure - 10-4 Pa, maximum power - 5 MW. Arc-jet heaters of "Zvezda"-type for testing heat-protective materials of descent vehicles: power 0.1:30 MW; deceleration temperature up to 8000 K.

Supersonic wind tunnel BMP is intended for determination of aerodynamic characteristics of air intakes in intercontinental cruise rockets of "Burya"-type; LV of the types: "Proton", "Energiya", "Buran", "Angara" and "Baykal" with operating engines; Venus and Mars descent modules. Main characteristics of the wind tunnel: Pressure of incoming air flow (to P0=20 MPa); Mach number of incoming flow - up to M=6; Reynolds number Re=0.4...7*106; Volume of vacuum vessels V=2400 m3; Vacuum up to 3...4 torr; Diameter of the working part of the tunnel up to 400 mm.