MAKS (spacecraft)

MAKS (Russian: МАКС, Многоцелевая авиационно-космическая система, Multipurpose aerospace system) was a proposed Soviet/Russian air-launched orbital vehicle and reusable launch system (RLV). It was designed to be launched from a heavily modified Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft.

The MAKS system consisted of two primary components: the orbiter and the expendable external tank. The orbiter, sometimes referred to as the "Orbital Aircraft," was intended to carry payloads and crew into low Earth orbit. The external tank would house the propellant for the orbiter's engines and would be discarded after its fuel was exhausted.

The air-launch concept offered several potential advantages over traditional ground-based launch systems, including increased payload capacity, reduced launch costs, and greater operational flexibility. The An-225 Mriya's ability to take off from a wide range of airfields further enhanced this flexibility.

The MAKS project underwent various design iterations and development stages from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. Several different orbiter configurations were considered, with varying payload capacities and mission profiles. The propulsion system was primarily based on liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.

Despite its promising features, the MAKS program was ultimately canceled in 1993 due to a combination of factors, including the collapse of the Soviet Union, budgetary constraints, and a shift in priorities within the Russian space program. While a full-scale MAKS system was never realized, the project contributed valuable research and development in areas such as air-launched space systems and reusable launch vehicle technologies. The concept of air-launch continues to be explored by various space companies around the world.