A HIGH-FIDELITY MOCK-UP of a Russian RD-180 rocket engine at Martin Marietta Astronautics, Denver, Colorado, is being assessed for use on the company's Atlas fleet of commercial launchers. The engine, developed by NPO Energomash, is a two-chamber version of the four-chamber RD-170/171/172 engine, used on the Energia and Zenit launchers which, with a maximum sea- level thrust of 7,300kN (1.6 million lb), is the most powerful liquid-propellant engine ever flown. The RD-180, which generates a thrust of 3,750kN, could replace the current 1,890kN Rocketdyne MA-5A system.
Source: Flight International