Almaz Credit - © Dietrich Haeseler Media Gallery

The initial Almaz program planned in 1965 consisted of two phases. In the first phase, 20 metric ton Almaz APOS space stations, complete with crew and re-entry capsule, would be put in orbit by a single launch of a Proton rocket. In this phase the value of manned space reconnaissance and targeting would be evaluated. The Almaz APOS concept was cancelled at the end of 1966 and replaced with Almaz-1 OPS.

On December 10, 1963, US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara announced the beginning of studies for a Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) - a military space station. Within the Soviet Union, two space station projects were in the preliminary design state. That of Vladimir Nikolayevich Chelomei's OKB-52 design bureau was derived from a 12 metric ton TAS Heavy Automated Station designed for the UR-500 booster. A heavier manned derivative was envisioned for launch by a later three-stage version of the UR-500. On 12 October 1964, only two days before the overthrow of Khrushchev, Chelomei obtained permission to begin development of a larger manned military space station, the Almaz. This 20 metric ton station would take three cosmonauts to orbit in a single launch of his UR-500K Proton rocket.

On 1 January 1965 the decision was formalized in the decree of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers 'On work on space stations at OKB-52'. This defined Almaz as an OOS - Manned Orbital Station - in specific reply to the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory program. Two phases of the project - RKK (Rocket-spacecraft complex, the entire system including the Proton UR-500K launch vehicle) A and RKK B were planned. The decree authorized Chelomei to proceed immediately with build of the Almaz RKK 'A' version. Flight of the first Almaz RKK-A was set for 1968.

The RKK-A / APOS - Autonomous Piloted Orbital Station was a self-contained concept similar to the MOL, equipped with a VA re-entry capsule and a one to three month active life. The station section was designated OPS - Orbital Piloted Station. The OPS+VA combination were given the article numbers 11F71 and 11F74 (which clearly indicated the OPS was considered a replacement for the competing Soyuz-R station). Total mass was 15 metric tons for the OPS and 4.9 metric tons for the VA. Access to the station was via an airlock in the heat shield of the VA. No dockings would be required in this phase, which was planned to last for three years. Project-construction work was to be completed by the end of 1969 of a bare-bones station.

OKB-52 began development of the Almaz on a crash basis. 500 people worked on the control system and engines alone, with another 1000 on all other systems. It seems that weight growth during the course of 1965 also made the Chelomei single-launch APOS concept too heavy for launch by the Proton booster. In January 1966 Korolev died unexpectedly and OKB-1 was leaderless. This was perceived as giving Chelomei an opening to kill Soyuz-R, although the final result was a compromise that pleased no one. On 30 June 1966 Ministry of General Machine Building (MOM) Decree 145ss 'On approval of the 7K-TK as transport for the Almaz station' was issued. It was decided that the 11F71 Soyuz-R space station would be cancelled and the Almaz OPS would be developed in its place. Almaz was assigned the index number previously allocated to the Soyuz-R station, and Kozlov was ordered to hand over to Chelomei all of the work completed in relation to the station. However Kozlov's Soyuz 7K-TK ferry was to continue in development to transport crew to the Almaz OPS, at least in Phase A of the project. This ended work on the original Almaz APOS concept (although in the 1970's plans for launch of an Almaz equipped with a VA would be renewed - but at the expense of most of the station's sensor payload, which would be delivered by TKS ferries).

Crew Size: 3. Design Life: 90 days. Maximum Diameter: 4.15 m (13.61 ft). Mass: 19,900 kg (43,800 lb). Main Engine: RD-0225. Main Engine Thrust: 7.840 kN (1,763 lbf). Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. Main Engine Isp: 291 sec. Spacecraft delta v: 100 m/s (320 ft/sec). Associated Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K.

• 1964 February 15 - American space plans -

  Following an overview of the planned trip of Bykovsky and Gagarin to Sweden and Norway on 1-15 March, American military space plans are reviewed. There are many fantastic projects, over a wide and well-financed front. Currently reconnaissance satellites are flying, to be followed by inspection, and then anti-satellite satellites in 3 to 5 years. After that manned military space stations are planned, manoeuvrable manned spacecraft, and the establishment of scientific and military bases on the moon. Despite this big US program, the Soviet military leadership shows no interest in Russian exploitation of space for military purposes.

• 1964 October 12 - Almaz project starts - Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K.

  The day before the overthrow of his patron, Chelomei obtained permission to begin development of a larger military space station, the Almaz. This 20 tonne station would take three cosmonauts to orbit in a single launch of his UR-500K Proton rocket. Therefore there were now two competing projects for the same mission - Almaz and Soyuz-R. First flight of the Almaz, with a one year operational period, was set for 1968.

• 1965 January 1 - Almaz space station development authorised. -

  Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On work on space stations at OKB-52' was issued.

• Siddiqi, Asif A, The Soviet Space Race With Apollo, University Press of Florida, 2003. ISBN: 0813026288. The definitive history of the Soviet manned space program in the 1960's to the early 1970's. Originally published as the the latter part of 'Challenge to Apollo' by NASA in 2000 as NASA SP-2000-4408. More at amazon.com...

• Yeteyev, Ivan, Operezhaya vremya, Ocherki, Moscow, 1999.. Collection of articles involving the life and works of Chief Designer Chelomei and the Khrunichev factory.

• Kamanin, N P, Skritiy kosmos, Infortext, Moscow, 1995. The diary of the Commander of the Soviet Cosmonaut Team in the 1960's - a source of great insights into the space program. Four volumes issued to date.