On August 23, on the eve of the 28th anniversary of the Independence Day, for the first time in Ukraine the specialists of Yuzhnoye SDO and PA Yuzhmash have successfully completed the bench-test firing of the Stage 3 of Cyclone-4 integrated launch vehicle.

Stage 3, terminating the flight of the launch vehicle that is a very important structure, was developed by the designers and engineers of Yuzhnoye SDO and manufactured by the Yuzhnmash employees.

Tested article structurally consists of the following:

–RD861K engine;

– fuel compartment;

– engine start automatic assemblies and units;

– thrust vector control system;

– liquid-propellant jet propulsion system;

– telemetry system.

RD861К engine propels the spacecraft into the target trajectory and therefore its design provides five-time ignitions in space environment.

Objective of the bench-test firings of the Stage 3 was the performance checks of the pneumatic-hydraulic system of the RD861К engine fuel feed, thrust vector control system and liquid-propellant jet propulsion system and burn of the RD861К engine, including its five-time ignitions.

Despite the large quantity of complex units and assemblies, the bench-test firing of the Stage 3 made the grade. It was once again the validation of design solutions, which enables transition to the test phase 2.