It became known that the reusable cruise stage of the Krylo-SV light-class launch vehicle being developed in Russia will be capable of landing both on wheels and on skis, depending on the type of landing strip. RIA Novosti writes about this with reference to the words of the head of the experimental design bureau. Bartini TsNIIMash Boris Satovsky.

«In an extreme case, we assume the possibility of landing even on an unpaved airfield, so the chassis will have interchangeable equipment: if landing on a concrete strip and a cool airfield, then these will be wheels, and if it is a landing on the ground, then it will be skis“, – quotes the source of the words of Mr. Satovsky.

Recall that work within the framework of the Krylo-SV launch vehicle project was started several years ago, and last year, representatives of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Advanced Research Fund decided to start developing a flight demonstrator.

The product itself is a reusable winged stage of the Wing-SV light-class launch vehicle. It will measure six meters long and 0,8 meters wide. As for the flight demonstrator, its dimensions will be one third of the original.

According to available data, Krylo-SV will move at hypersonic speeds, and a new rocket engine called the Whirlwind is being developed specifically for this project. It is assumed that after launch and separation from the second stage, which will continue the flight, the first reusable stage will return to the cosmodrome on wings using aircraft engines.