VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME, September 6. /TASS/. The jet engine RD-180 will be used in creating a new generation medium class rocket Soyuz-6, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin told the media on Friday.

"During 2017, we plan the delivery of 11 RD-180 engines [for Atlas rockets] to United Launch Alliance (ULA) and eight RD-181 motors [for US carrier rockets Antares] to Orbital ATK," Arbuzov said.

Shortly thereafter, work began on a new engine, the RD-180. It would be twice as big as the NK-33, with five times the thrust of a jumbo jet. The RD-180 was not a slam dunk design, however.

Bruno recounts the initial decision to move away from Russian RD-180 engines due to geopolitical concerns, the challenges of selecting a new engine, and the importance of designing Vulcan for high ...