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The R-36 ICBM was the largest ever built and the bogeyman of the Pentagon throughout the Cold War. Dubbed the 'city buster', the 308 silos built were constantly held up by the US Air Force as an awesome threat that justified a new round of American missile or anti-missile systems. On the other hand, the Americans were never motivated to build and deploy corresponding numbers of their equivalent, the liquid propellant Titan 2. Derivatives of the R-36 included the R-36-O orbital bombing system, the Tsiklon-2 and -3 medium orbital launch vehicles, and the replacement R-36M missiles. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the design and manufacturing facility ended up in independent Ukraine. Accordingly the missile was finally retired in the 1990's, conveniently in accordance with arms reduction agreements with the Americans. Official development of the R-36 began with a decree on 16 April 1962. This called for development of a heavy rocket that could act as an ICBM, a FOBS 'global rocket', and a medium launch vehicle. The targets for the R-36 would be key American administrative and military-industrial centres, hardened military targets, and anti-ballistic missile facilities. The decree ordered development of three alternative launch facility designs: a hardened, above-ground launch facility like the R-9 Dolina; a silo group like the R-16 Sheksna-V; and a new isolated silo concept, with the silos operated from an individual hardened launch facility being sepearated by a dozen kilometres. Yangel's approach was to develop an improved version of his existing R-16 ICBM. Just as in America the Titan 1 had been redesigned into the constant-diameter Titan 2 with a more powerful upper stage, the same concept was applied to the R-16. The missile could still use the basic silo designed for the R-16. However unlike the R-16, this would be the first Soviet missile to use nitrogen tetroxide oxidiser. The R-36 was to join the UR-100 as the first 'ampulised' Soviet missiles. This means that the missile was loaded into the silo in its container, fuelled, and then was ready-to-launch at any time as a certified 'sealed round'. This was in contrast to earlier Soviet missiles. The R-1, R-2, and R-5 could only be held at launch readiness for 30 minutes, the R-9A for 24 hours, and the storable propellant R-12, R-14, and R-16 for thirty days. The new generation was to have a certified ready-to-launch guaranteed span of five years. The containerised missile would be transported by rail to the silo, inserted, fuelled, and then left completely unattended. The silos were to be isolated from one another by 8 to 10 km so that a single nuclear warhead could take out no more than one silo at a time. The guidance system was to be inertial with radio update for higher accuracy. Although flight tests were made with this system, by the time the missile was deployed the pure inertial system had proved to have sufficient accuracy and the radio correction was abandoned. The draft project was completed in June 1963, and that of the new 8F675 warhead (18 and 25 megaton versions) on 12 January 1964. By then the decision had been made to pursue only the isolated silo launch concept, in order to prevent multiple launchers being taken out by a single enemy warhead. For flight trials from Baikonur substantial new facilities designed by V P Petrov at KBTM were started in 1962 and completed in February 1963. Missiles were prepared at Area 4, then launched from a pad at LC-67, with the radio guidance system being at Area 68. These used the 8P867 launch pad, 8U225 launch gantry, and 8T178 missile transport trailer. The designs for these facilities were derived from those for the Tsiklon space booster. Countdown was automated and no personnel were required in the area during launch procedures. The 25th OIICh (Independent Engineering-Research Unit) was formed to conduct the flight tests. For initial silo tests individual silos at LC-80, a Sheksna facility originally built for the R-16, were modified in 1964 to accommodate R-36 or UR-200 missiles. A prototype of the new command point and six-silo group planned for the R-36 were also built at Baikonur. The hardened command point for these silos was at Area 111, and the silos at LC's-102, -103, -109, -140, -141, and -142. Flight trial tests were conducted from these facilities from 28 September 1963 to 29 March 1966, with the first silo launch taking place on 14 January 1965. The first launch from LC-140 came on 27 April 1965. This was the first launch controlled and commanded via a 10 km long buried cable. At total of 130 trials launches were made. In July 1965 the first R-36 was launched with the 'List' countermeasures system designed to confuse enemy anti-ballistic missile defences. This system had been developed by Aksel Berg at NII-108 (originally established on 4 July 1943 to develop radar systems). The system had several components:
Production of the R-36 and the List countermeasures system was undertaken at the Yuzhnoye YuMZ factory in Dnepropetrovsk. The first regiment became operational on 5 November 1966 at Uzhur, and the missile was formally accepted for military service on 21 July 1967. A peak total of 260 R-36's were deployed by 1970. A total of 308 missile silos for the R-36 and its follow-on versions were built at Aleisk (30), Kartaly (46), Derzhavinsk (52), Zhangiz-Tobe (52), Dombarovskiy (64), and Uzhur (64). Operational tests were conducted periodically during service, including seven firings from silos in the Uzhur field to the Kura impact area. The final R-36's were retired in 1979, their places in the silos begin replaced by later versions. The missile was shown publicly at a Moscow parade on 7 November 1967, although to create confusion the external vernier engines of the second stage were removed and a non-standard warhead was fitted. Declassified CIA reports show that American intelligence was not fooled, although Western missile 'experts' were. In 1965 the R-36 was selected over Korolev's GR-1 and Chelomei's UR-200 for the 'Global Rocket' and military medium launch vehicle requirements (see separate R-36-O, Tsiklon-2 and Tsiklon-3 entries). An improved silo with five times the blast resistance was studied in the 1960's but not adopted due to the expense (a super-hardened silo was finally developed in the late 1970's for the next generation of missiles). The missile structure was of AMG-6 aluminium alloy. An avionics section was located in the intertank area of the first stage. The first stage had a fixed six-nozzle Glushko RD-251 engine, with attitude and roll control by four RD-68M verniers designed by Yuzhnoye. The second stage used a two-nozzle Glushko RD-252, with four RD-69M verniers. Four small solid rocket motors fired to back the second stage away from the warhead after burnout. Unlike the R-16, which had its launch azimuth set by a rotating launch table, the R-36 was fixed on its launcher. Therefore after clearing the silo it had to roll to the desired target azimuth. The inertial guidance system by Vladimir Sergeyev of NII-692 had a total mass of 752 kg, and was updated just before launch by an optical data link. The first five trials flights used the radio correction system of Mikhail Borisenko, but this was abandoned as unnecessary on production models. The warheads for the missile were developed at Chelyabinsk-70, with production at Penzensk Factory 592 (later NPO Start). These included the original 18 and 25 megaton 8F675, and later 5 and 10 megaton alternate warheads. The missile had a five year guaranteed storage life, later extended to 7.5 years with in-service testing. A missile prepared for launch (with the guidance platform spun up) could be launched in five minutes from the turn of the launch key. The OS-67 silo was designed by Yevgeni F Rudyak at GSKB Spetsmash. Each silo was 41.5 m deep, 8.3 m in diameter, and had a 4.64 m diameter interior bore. The silo was hardened to an overpressure of 20 atmospheres. Six silos, separated by 8-10 km from each other, were controlled and launched from a single command point. Manufacturer: Yuzhnoye. Launches: 409. Failures: 33. Success Rate: 91.93%. First Launch Date: 1963-09-28. Last Launch Date: 2006-06-24. Launch data is: continuing. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 2,366.000 kN (531,897 lbf). Total Mass: 183,890 kg (405,400 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 31.70 m (104.00 ft). Span: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Standard warhead mass: 5,825 kg (12,841 lb). Maximum range: 10,200 km (6,300 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead yield: 10,000 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 1.30 km (0.80 mi). Alternate warhead mass: 3,950 kg (8,700 lb). Maximum range with alternate warhead: 15,500 km (9,600 mi). Number Alternate Warheads: 1. Alternate RV: 8F675. Alternate warhead yield: 5,000 KT. Alternate warhead CEP: 1.90 km (1.10 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, N2O4/UDMH. Boost engine: RD-251. Cruise Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, N2O4/UDMH. Cruise engine: RD-252. Cruise Thrust: 940.400 kN (211,410 lbf). Guidance: Inertial.
R-36 8K67.
Initial ICBM version.
Launches: 99. Failures: 16. Success Rate: 83.84%. First Launch Date: 1963-09-28. Last Launch Date: 1975-10-25. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 0 N ( lbf). Total Mass: 183,900 kg (405,400 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 34.10 m (111.80 ft). Maximum range: 11,000 km (6,000 mi).
R-36 8K67M.
Launches: 15. First Launch Date: 1968-07-16. Last Launch Date: 1971-12-02. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 0 N ( lbf). Total Mass: 185,000 kg (407,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 34.60 m (113.50 ft). Maximum range: 11,000 km (6,000 mi).
R-36 8K67MA.
Launches: 10. First Launch Date: 1972-04-12. Last Launch Date: 1975-02-28. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 0 N ( lbf). Total Mass: 185,000 kg (407,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 34.60 m (113.50 ft). Maximum range: 11,000 km (6,000 mi).
R-36 8K67P.
The R-36P was a version of the R-36 which could deploy three separate (but not independently-targeted) warheads instead of one. The concept was to ensure a wider zone of destruction and overpressure then a single warhead detonation would create. The US government claimed the spacing of the MRV impacts showed they were targeted on Minuteman silo clusters. Work on the variant began in November 1967. Trials began in August 1968, the missile was accepted for military service on 26 October 1970, and production began in 1971. Beginning in December 1971 and 1974 the missile was deployed to around 100 silos, but the version was retired by 1974 in favour of true MIRV versions of the R-36. However the deployment brought the maximum R-36/R-36P operational silo total to 288 in 1972. These were deployed in regiments of six silos per command point, except at Kartaly, Dombarovskiy, Krasnoyarsk, Derzhavinsk, and Zhangiztobe, which each had at least one regiment with ten silos. Launches: 20. First Launch Date: 1968-08-23. Last Launch Date: 1970-10-23. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 2,366.300 kN (531,965 lbf). Total Mass: 183,000 kg (403,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 32.01 m (105.01 ft). Span: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Standard warhead mass: 6,000 kg (13,200 lb). Maximum range: 10,200 km (6,300 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 3. Standard warhead yield: 2,000 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 1.85 km (1.14 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, N2O4/UDMH. Boost engine: RD-251. Cruise Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, N2O4/UDMH. Cruise engine: RD-252. Cruise Thrust: 940.400 kN (211,410 lbf). Guidance: Inertial.
R-36 8K67PM. Status: Retired 1973.
Launches: 5. Failures: 3. First Launch Date: 1973-04-08. Last Launch Date: 1973-12-21. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 0 N ( lbf). Total Mass: 183,900 kg (405,400 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 33.90 m (111.20 ft). Maximum range: 11,000 km (6,000 mi). Version:R-36-O.
The R-36-O was the only orbiting military nuclear weapon ever deployed, although in order to remain legal under international treaties it was a 'fractional orbital' weapon. Although American infrared early warning satellites invalidated the 'surprise attack' component of the concept, 18 missiles were operational from 1969 to 1983. The Global Rocket 1 (GR-1) requirement of 1961 called for a system to place a large nuclear warhead equipped with a deorbit rocket stage into a low earth orbit of 150 km altitude. The warhead could approach the United States from any direction, below missile tracking radar, so little warning was available. Not only could such a missile hit any point on earth, but the enemy would also be uncertain when it would be deorbited onto target. The disadvantages were greater complexity, lower accuracy, and the need to use a lighter warhead in comparison to an ICBM. Furthermore American development and deployment of infrared early-warning satellites in the 1970's invalidated the warning advantage. Chelomei proposed his UR-200 for the requirement, while Yangel offered the R-36, and Korolev the 8K713. An official decree authorised development to begin in April 1962. Yangel completed his draft project in December 1962 and began flight tests of the basic R-36 ICBM in 1963. Development problems with Korolev's rocket resulted in continual delays, resulting in its cancellation in 1964. Following Khrushchev’s ouster from power in October 1964, Chelomei’s UR-200 project was reviewed and cancelled as well. This left Yangel’s R-36 for the mission. Flight trials of the system began on 16 October 1965 from silos at LC-160 and LC-162 at Baikonur. Since orbiting of nuclear weapons was a violation of international treaty, the Soviet Union conducted all tests on a 'fractional orbit' basis - i.e. the test warheads were deorbited after less than one orbit of the earth. The launches were however logged and tracked as satellites by international treaty. There were four launches in 1966 and 10 in 1967. The United States only publicly noted the probable FOBS mission of the tests on 3 November 1967. The system was formally accepted for military service on 19 November 1968. A military regiment to operate the missiles was formed in August 1971. The system was in service at 18 silos at Baikonur from 25 August 1969 to January 1983. Under SALT-2 12 of these silos were demolished, the remaining six being retained for launch of R-36M's converted to orbital launch vehicle use. In common with other R-36 versions, the missile had a 7.5 year guaranteed fuelled storage life and a five minute reaction time. The 8F021 orbiting warhead had the Russian acronym OGCh. It consisted of an SU equipment unit which oriented the spacecraft in orbit and autonomously determined when to make the braking manoeuvre to bring the re-entry vehicle down from orbit. The SU included an inertial navigation system and a radar altimeter which measured the altitude of the orbit and thereby determined when to make the braking manoeuvre. A solid fuel cartridge then spun up the turbine assembly of the liquid propellant (N2O4/UDMH) braking engine. Orientation was by 4 + 4 thrusters using turbine exhaust gases. Launches: 23. Failures: 2. First Launch Date: 1965-03-05. Last Launch Date: 1970-07-28. LEO Payload: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). to: 150 km Orbit. Associated Spacecraft: OGCh. Liftoff Thrust: 2,366.000 kN (531,897 lbf). Total Mass: 182,000 kg (401,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 32.60 m (106.90 ft). Span: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Standard warhead mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Maximum range: 40,000 km (24,000 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard RV: 8F021. Standard warhead yield: 5,000 KT. Standard warhead CEP: 1.10 km (0.60 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, N2O4/UDMH. Boost engine: RD-251. Cruise Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket, N2O4/UDMH. Cruise engine: RD-252. Cruise Thrust: 940.400 kN (211,410 lbf). Guidance: Inertial.
R-36O 8K69M.
Launches: 2. First Launch Date: 1970-09-25. Last Launch Date: 1971-08-08. Liftoff Thrust: 0 N ( lbf). Total Mass: 180,000 kg (390,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 35.00 m (114.00 ft).
Tsiklon-2.
A government decree of 24 August 1965 ordered development by Yangel of a version of his R-36 rocket to orbit Chelomei's IS (Istrebitel Sputnik) ASAT and US (Upravlenniye Sputnik) naval intelligence satellites. The Tyklon 2 definitive operational version replaced the 11K67 launch vehicle from 1969 and was an adaptation of the 8K69 (SS-9) two stage ICBM. The IS and US Raketoplan-derived payloads had their own engines for insertion into final orbit.
Launches: 106. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 99.06%. First Launch Date: 1969-08-06. Last Launch Date: 2006-06-24. LEO Payload: 2,820 kg (6,210 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 65.00 degrees. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Associated Spacecraft: IS-A, IS-P, Plazma-A, US-A, US-P, US-PU. Liftoff Thrust: 2,366.000 kN (531,897 lbf). Total Mass: 182,000 kg (401,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 39.70 m (130.20 ft). Launch Price $: 12.000 million. in: 1994 price dollars.
Tsiklon-2A.
Minimal modification of the R-36 ICBM used in replacement of Chelomei's cancelled UR-200 booster for initial launches of the IS ASAT and US naval radarsat. Development was authorized in late 1965 and first launch was made before the end of 1967. It flew only eight times before being replaced by the definitive Tsyklon-2 space launch vehicle. On 16 March and 1 August 1961 the Central Committee and Politburo approved development of Chelomei’s UR-200 (8K81) universal rocket. The UR-200 was to orbit Chelomei’s IS (Istrebitel Sputnik) ASAT; the US (Upravlenniye Sputnik) nuclear-powered naval intelligence satellite; and the Raketoplan combat re-entry vehicle. Trial flights of the missile began on 4 November 1963. On October 13, 1964, Khrushchev was ousted from power. The new leadership, under Brezhnev, was adverse to all projects Khrushchev had supported. These included those of Chelomei. An expert commission under M V Keldysh was directed to examine all of Chelomei’s projects and make recommendations as to which should be cancelled. Keldysh found that Yangel’s R-36 rocket was superior to Chelomei’s UR-200 and that the Raketoplan was technically overly ambitious. The UR-200 and Raketoplan were accordingly cancelled, while the IS and US satellites were redesigned for launch by the R-36. A government decree of 24 August 1965 formalised the decision and the Yangel bureau began design work in 1966. Required modifications to the R-36 were minimal; the IS and US Raketoplan-derived payloads had their own engines for insertion into final orbit. The Tsyklon 11K67 first test version was an adaptation of the 8K67 (SS-9 Mod 1) two stage ICBM and flew only briefly (1967 to 1968). It was quickly replaced by the definitive 11K69 Tsyklon 2 launch vehicle. The military project manager was L A Dolnikov. The two-stage vehicle stages were designated 8S671 and 8S672. Launches: 8. Failures: 1. First Launch Date: 1967-10-27. Last Launch Date: 1969-01-25. LEO Payload: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 52.00 degrees. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Associated Spacecraft: IS-A, IS-P, US-A. Liftoff Thrust: 2,366.000 kN (531,897 lbf). Total Mass: 182,000 kg (401,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 39.70 m (130.20 ft).
Tsiklon-3.
The Tsyklon 3 was developed in 1970-1977 as a part of a program to reduce the number of Soviet booster types. The first two stages were derived from the 8K68 version of the R-36 ICBM, while the restartable third stage was derived from that of the R-36-O. Compared to the Tsyklon 2, the launch vehicle increased payload to 4 metric tons, provided for completely automated launch operations, and had increased orbital injection accuracy. Filial 4 of NII MO began work in 1967 on military operations plans for the 1971-1980 period. These were completed as plan Prognoz and Sirius Phase I in 1970. One objective of the plans was to reduce the number of military space launch vehicles from ten to three. The medium category space launch vehicle would replace the Vostok launcher and be used for multiple payload launches of Strela-class store-dump communications satellites, and single payload launch of Tselina-D ELINT and Meteor weather satellites. Development work was authorized by a government decree of 2 January 1970. The booster was a modification of the R-36 8K68 (SS-9 Mod 2) ICBM with an S5M third stage. The S5M stage was a development of the R-36-O deorbit stage and capable of a single restart for orbital trim or circularization prior to release of the payload. Later in its life Tsyklon 3 was also used for launch of Ukrainian-built AUOS scientific and Okean-O radar satellites. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian manufacturer ended up in a different country, inappropriate for a launcher used for Russian national security payloads. Existing stocks of the vehicle were used to launch Strela satellites. In 1998 it was reported that only four remained. Launches of Strela or Ukrainian satellite payloads were made in 2000, 2001, and 2004. However as of 2007 the manufacturer was still marketing the booster. Launches: 121. Failures: 10. Success Rate: 91.74%. First Launch Date: 1977-06-24. Last Launch Date: 2004-12-24. LEO Payload: 4,100 kg (9,000 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 66.00 degrees. Apogee: 2,000 km (1,200 mi). Associated Spacecraft: AUOS, Geo-IK, Gonets-D1, Magion, Meteor-2, Meteor-3, Microsat SSTL, Okean-E, Okean-O1, Okean-OE, Radio, Strela-3, Taifun-2, Taifun-3, Temisat, Tselina-D, Tubsat. Liftoff Thrust: 2,713.000 kN (609,906 lbf). Total Mass: 189,000 kg (416,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 39.27 m (128.83 ft). Launch Price $: 15.000 million. in: 1994 price dollars.
Tsiklon-4.
Updated version of Tsyklon 3, announced by the Ukraine in 2005 as being in design. Improved lower stages, new upper stage and a new 4.0-m diameter payload fairing. No production plans. The Tsyklon 4 / Cyclone-4 launch vehicle was designed for operational and highly accurate lofting of single or multiple of satellites into earth orbit (including geostationary and sun-synchronous orbits). Cyclone-4 would be the most powerful rocket among the launchers of the Cyclone family. These rockets began operation in 1969 and proved to be the most reliable launchers in the world. The Cyclone-4 LV met all modern requirements for spacecraft launchers. It would be a three-stage rocket derived from the existing Cyclone-3 vehicle. The first two stages were taken from the Cyclone-3 launcher with a minimum level of necessary upgrade, with the proven production technology maintained to the maximum level. Enhancement of the technical and operational characteristics of Cyclone-4 were improved with the following changes:
The vehicle could place a payload of 5250 kg into low earth orbit (185 km / 51.5 deg). Vacuum thrust of stages 1, 2, and 3 were 303, 101.5, and 7.8 tonnes respectively. All stages used N2O4/UDMH propellants, with the stage specific impulses being 300.4, 314, and 325. Maximum G-load was 6.8 G's, and injection accuracy into a 500 km circular orbit was within 5 km of altitude and 0.05 degrees of inclination. LEO Payload: 4,900 kg (10,800 lb). to: 400 km Orbit. at: 51.60 degrees. Payload: 500 kg (1,100 lb). to a: geosynchronous orbit trajectory. Total Mass: 198,250 kg (437,060 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 39.95 m (131.06 ft). Tsiklon Chronology 1962 April 16 - N1, R-36, R-36-O, and R-56 rockets authorised. Decree 'On Important Development of Intercontinental Ballistic and Global Missiles and Carriers-Rockets for Space Objects--work on the N1, R-36, R-36-O, and R-56' was issued. 1962 September 24 - N1 and GR-1 authorised. Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 1021-436 'On start of work on the N1 and GR-1' was issued. Following a review of the N1 project by an Academy of Sciences expert commission headed by Keldysh in July, this decree provided a detailed plan leading to a first launch by the end of 1965. Planning and drawing release for the GR-1 were completed by this date and the decree ordered test flights to begin in the third quarter of 1963. However development problems with the NK-9 engine resulted in continual delays. Finally in 1964 Korolev's GR-1 was cancelled and Yangel’s R-36 was selected for the mission. This would deprive Korolev of a vital test-bed for flight test of the N1 engines. 1963 September 28 - Baikonur LC67/21. R-36 8K67 G22500-02L FAILURE: Failure. State trials launch (1) Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1963 December 3 - 08:00 GMT - Baikonur LC67/21. R-36 8K67 G22500-04L Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 903 km (561 mi). 1963 December 13 - Baikonur LC67/21. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1964 January 16 - 04:28 GMT - Baikonur LC67/21. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 908 km (564 mi). 1964 January 25 - Baikonur LC67/21. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1964 February 19 - 15:15 GMT - Baikonur LC67/21. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 906 km (562 mi). 1964 February 27 - 02:30 GMT - Baikonur LC67/21. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1964 April 26 - Baikonur LC67/22. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1964 May 23 - 04:59 GMT - Baikonur LC67/21. FAILURE: Failure. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 870 km (540 mi). 1964 May 30 - 02:30 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 864 km (536 mi). 1964 June 24 - 04:42 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 874 km (543 mi). 1964 June 30 - 22:30 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 872 km (541 mi). 1964 August 5 - 02:00 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. POR state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,493 km (927 mi). 1964 August 11 - 02:00 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1964 September 9 - 02:13 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. POR state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,495 km (928 mi). 1964 September 24 - Khrushchev visits Baikonur Spacecraft: Voskhod, Berkut, LK-700. Flight: Voskhod 2. This was his last visit, just weeks before his overthrow. The Soviet leadership were shown the UR-100 and observed launches of the competing UR-200 and R-36. Khrushchev agreed with the decision to put the R-36 into production instead of Chelomei’s UR-200. He felt he couldn’t turn down Yangel a third time after approving Korolev’s N1 instead of Yangel’s R-56 and Chelomei’s UR-100 instead of Yangel’s R-26. Khrushchev decided to cancel Korolev’s badly behind schedule R-9A, even though Smirnov and Ustinov insisted they wanted it in their arsenal (in May 1965, after Khrushchev’s overthrow, this decision was reversed and the R-9A went into production). Khrushchev also visited a secret space fair, with Korolev, Chelomei, Yangel, and Glushko presenting their rockets and spacecraft. Chelomei presented his UR-700 heavy lift design as an alternative to Korolev’s N1. This presentation was a surprise to Ustinov and Dementiev. Khrushchev ordered Chelomei to prepare a draft proposal for the design. Chelomei hoped that 12 to 18 months later, when the UR-700 draft project would be completed, the fallacy of Korolev’s N1 design would be apparent to all. Korolev’s N1 plans were also reviewed and approved at the meeting. Over the two days, Khruschev witnessed five launches of rockets by Korolev, Yangel, and Chelomei, all of them successful. Gagarin and Belyayev explained the Vykhod spacecraft to him, and Leonov donned a spacesuit and demonstrated how he would exit into open space form the inflatable airlock and return thereafter. All went very well. This was the last time Khrushchev saw the chief designers of the Soviet rocket industry. Despite his support for them not one of them visited him in his retirement. 1964 September 25 - 04:03 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Demonstration launch witnessed by Khrushchev. 1964 October 10 - 02:00 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 865 km (537 mi). 1964 October 29 - 01:59 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 868 km (539 mi). 1964 December 15 - 00:00 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 870 km (540 mi). 1965 January 12 - R-36 'sealed round' version development authorised. State Committee for Defence Technology (GKOT) Decree 'On Detailed Work on Ampulized R-36 and R-36-O Missiles--design work on the R-36 and R-36-O missiles' was issued. 1965 January 13 - 05:02 GMT - Baikonur LC80/17. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1965 January 30 - 08:04 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. POR state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,493 km (927 mi). 1965 March 5 - Baikonur LC67/21. FAILURE: Second stage propellant leak led to a fire in the silo. First attempted launch of Fractional Orbital Bombardment System booster. Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. A fire broke out during fuelling and the rocket exploded, seriously damaging the launch pad at Area 67. 1965 April 27 - 05:00 GMT - Baikonur LC140/18. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 870 km (540 mi). 1965 May 18 - 05:00 GMT - Baikonur LC140/18. Kura state trials missile launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 870 km (540 mi). 1965 July 9 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 August 3 - Baikonur PU32. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1965 August 13 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 August 21 - Baikonur PU32. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1965 August 24 - Development of R-36-O and Tsyklon launch vehicles authorised Spacecraft: IS-A, US-A, OGCh. Decree 'On Creation of an R-36 Based Carrier Rocket for Launching the IS and US KA--start of work on an R-36-based launch vehicle for the IS and US programs' was issued. After Khrushchev was ousted from power, Chelomei's projects were examined by an expert commission under M V Keldysh. It was found that Yangel’s R-36 rocket was superior to Chelomei’s UR-200. The UR-200 was cancelled; the IS and US satellites would be launched by the R-36 11K67. The Tsyklon 2 definitive operational version replaced the 11K67 launch vehicle from 1969. 1965 October 1 - Baikonur PU31. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 October 9 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 October 15 - Baikonur PU32. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 October 29 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 November 2 - Baikonur PU31. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 November 14 - Baikonur PU32. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 November 27 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 December 7 - Baikonur PU32. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 December 16 - Baikonur LC67/21. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 U22502 No. 1L OGCh No. 01L Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). First suborbital test of the FOBS system. Impacted within specification CEP in target zone. 1965 December 25 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 December 25 - Baikonur PU32. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1965 December 26 - Baikonur PU31. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 February 5 - Baikonur LC67/21. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 U22502 No. 02L OGCh No. 02L Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Second suborbital test of the FOBS system. 1966 March 17 - 22:00 GMT - Baikonur LC67/21. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 U22502 No. 03L OGCh No. 03L Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). Last of three suborbital flight tests of the FOBS system. The second stage of the booster placed the third stage and dummy warhead on a depressed trajectory with a range of 8500 km but an altitude of only 220 km (versus 800 to 1200 km for an optimum ballistic trajectory). The third stage than executed a 180 degree turn and its engines were fired to further brake the warhead to an impact on the Kamchatka peninsula. The second stage meanwhile continued on to reentry over the Pacific Ocean. 1966 March 30 - Baikonur PU31. SLI K Operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 April 2 - Baikonur PU31. SLI K Operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 April 26 - Baikonur PU32. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 May 20 - 19:00 GMT - Baikonur LC67/22. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 U22502 No. 04L OGCh No. 04L Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Possible suborbital test of FOBS booster or failed FOBS test. Not mentioned as FOBS-related in contemporary CIA assessments. 1966 May 29 - Baikonur PU31. State trials launch (41) Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 June 10 - Baikonur PU32. SLI K Operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 June 30 - Baikonur PU31. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 September 17 - 22:35 GMT - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 U22502 No. 05L OGCh Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 138 km (85 mi). Apogee: 792 km (492 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 93.90 min. First attempted orbital Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. The second stage of the booster placed the third stage and dummy warhead into a 214 km x 523 km parking orbit. altitude. The third stage was evidently wrongly oriented, and instead of braking the warhead into an impact at Kapustin Yar, boosted it into a higher 280 km x 1,010 km orbit. The dummy warhead seperated but was commanded to self destruct, resulting in over 100 catalogued orbiting objects. 1966 September 27 - Baikonur PU31. FAILURE: Failure. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1966 October 6 - Baikonur PU32. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 October 20 - Baikonur PU32. Palma-2 operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 October 23 - Baikonur PU31. Palma-2 operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 November 2 - 00:50 GMT - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 N22500 No. 06L OGCh Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 504 km (313 mi). Apogee: 767 km (476 mi). Inclination: 49.10 deg. Period: 97.43 min. Second attempted orbital Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. failure - self destruct charge was detonated, resulting in 50 catalogued orbiting objects. No impact of the dummy warhead in the Kapustin Yar impact zone. 1966 November 21 - Baikonur PU32. 8F764 warhead state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1966 December 10 - Baikonur PU32. FAILURE: Failure. 8F764 warhead state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1967 January 25 - 13:55 GMT - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 N22500 No. 07L Cosmos 139 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 144 km (89 mi). Apogee: 210 km (130 mi). Inclination: 49.70 deg. Period: 88.00 min. Third orbital Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. First apparently successful test. The warhead was braked to an impact in the Kapustin Yar range. 1967 March 4 - Baikonur PU32. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 March 22 - 14:05 GMT - Baikonur LC161/35. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 N22500 No. 08L FAILURE: Failure. OGCh Agency: RVSN. 1967 March 31 - Baikonur PU32. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 May 17 - 16:05 GMT - Baikonur LC161/35. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 09L Cosmos 160 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 137 km (85 mi). Apogee: 177 km (109 mi). Inclination: 49.70 deg. Period: 87.60 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test. 1967 May 31 - Baikonur PU32. 8F765 warhead state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 June 6 - Baikonur PU31. 8F765 warhead state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 June 15 - Baikonur PU32. 8F765 warhead state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 June 27 - Baikonur PU31. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 July 1 - Tsiklon-2 launch vehicle authorised. Spacecraft: US-A, IS-A, Meteor. Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 'On use of the R-36-based launcher for the Kosmos and Meteor satellites' was issued. 1967 July 17 - 16:45 GMT - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 11L Cosmos 169 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 135 km (83 mi). Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Inclination: 49.70 deg. Period: 87.80 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test. 1967 July 20 - Baikonur PU32. SBP Special test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 July 21 - R-36 ICBM accepted into service. Decree 'On approval of the R-36 ICBM variant with countermeasures to overcome anti-ballistic missiles and on adoption of the R-36 ICBM into armaments' was issued. 1967 July 21 - US Project reassigned; R-36-O booster development approved; Yantar-2K and Zvevda 7K-VI approved. Spacecraft: US-A, US-P, Yantar-2K, Yantar-4K1, Soyuz VI. Decree 715-240 'On the Creation of Space Systems for Naval Reconnaissance Comprising the US sat and the R-36-based booster -further work on the US naval reconnaissance satellite, approval of work on the Yantar-2K, and course of work on 7K-VI Zvezda'. An entire family of Yantar spacecraft was proposed by Kozlov’s design bureau during the initial development; information on two film return models has been declassified. Yantar was initially derived from the Soyuz spacecraft, including systems developed for the Soyuz VI military model. During design and development this changed until it had very little in common with Soyuz. Following numerous problems in the first flight tests of the Soyuz 7K-OK, Kozlov ordered a complete redesign of the 7K-VI manned military spacecraft. The new spacecraft, with a crew of two, would have a total mass of 6.6 tonnes and could operate for a month in orbit. The new design switched the positions of the Soyuz descent module and the orbital modules and was 300 kg too heavy for the standard 11A511 launch vehicle. Therefore Kozlov designed a new variant of the Soyuz launch vehicle, the 11A511M. The project was approved by the Central Committee of the Communist Party, with first flight to be in 1968 and operations to begin in 1969. The booster design, with unknown changes to the basic Soyuz, did not go into full production. 1967 July 31 - 16:45 GMT - Baikonur LC161/35. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 12L Cosmos 170 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 141 km (87 mi). Apogee: 199 km (123 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.90 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test. 1967 August 8 - 16:05 GMT - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 10L Cosmos 171 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 138 km (85 mi). Apogee: 177 km (109 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.60 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test. 1967 September 4 - Baikonur PU31. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 September 8 - Baikonur PU32. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 September 19 - 14:45 GMT - Baikonur LC161/35. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 14L Cosmos 178 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 138 km (85 mi). Apogee: 258 km (160 mi). Inclination: 49.70 deg. Period: 88.40 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test. 1967 September 21 - Baikonur PU33. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 September 22 - 14:05 GMT - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 15L Cosmos 179 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 139 km (86 mi). Apogee: 207 km (128 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.90 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test. 1967 October 1 - Baikonur PU31. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1967 October 18 - 13:30 GMT - Baikonur LC161/35. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 16L Cosmos 183 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 140 km (80 mi). Apogee: 306 km (190 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 89.00 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test. 1967 October 27 - 02:21 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 185 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 518 km (321 mi). Apogee: 887 km (551 mi). Inclination: 64.20 deg. Period: 98.80 min. First test of Istrebitel Sputnik. Only tested engine; no target launched. First launch of Tsykon launch vehicle. 1967 October 28 - 13:15 GMT - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 13L Cosmos 187 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 143 km (88 mi). Apogee: 301 km (187 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 88.90 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. 1967 December 27 - 11:28 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 198 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 907 km (563 mi). Apogee: 927 km (576 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 103.40 min. Prototype RORSAT hardware using chemical batteries in place of BES-5 nuclear reactor. First satellite to be boosted to 900 km storage orbit. 1968 February 29 - Baikonur PU31. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 March 22 - 09:30 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 209 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 876 km (544 mi). Apogee: 927 km (576 mi). Inclination: 65.30 deg. Period: 103.00 min. RORSAT hardware, representative of production hardware, but using chemical batteries in place of BES-5 nuclear reactor. 1968 April 18 - Baikonur PU33. 8F765 warhead state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 April 24 - 16:00 GMT - Baikonur LC90/20. Cosmos 217 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-P. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 140 km (80 mi). Apogee: 179 km (111 mi). Inclination: 62.30 deg. Period: 87.70 min. Unsuccessful launch of ASAT target. Satellite did not separate from last rocket stage. Planned launch of interceptor cancelled. 1968 April 25 - 00:43 GMT - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 17L Cosmos 218 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 123 km (76 mi). Apogee: 162 km (100 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.30 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. 1968 April 28 - Baikonur PU33. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 May 12 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 May 21 - Baikonur LC162/36. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22500 No. 18L OGCh Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Probable suborbital test of Fractional Orbital Bombardment System. 1968 May 23 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 May 28 - Baikonur LC161/35. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Ya22501m No. 19L OGCh Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Probable suborbital test of Fractional Orbital Bombardment System. 1968 June 6 - Baikonur PU31. Special test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 July 3 - Baikonur PU33. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 July 16 - Baikonur PU31. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 August 14 - Baikonur PU31. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 August 23 - Baikonur PU33. RGCh state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 September 11 - Baikonur PU33. RGCh state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 October 2 - 13:35 GMT - Baikonur LC161/35. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 V22501 No. 10T Cosmos 244 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 140 km (80 mi). Apogee: 158 km (98 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.40 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. 1968 October 4 - Baikonur PU33. RGCh state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 October 19 - 04:20 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 248 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-P. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 475 km (295 mi). Apogee: 543 km (337 mi). Inclination: 62.30 deg. Period: 94.80 min. ASAT target. Intercepted repeatedly by Cosmos 249 on 20 October; destroyed by Cosmos 252 on 1 November. 1968 October 20 - 04:02 GMT - Baikonur LC90/20. Cosmos 249 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 498 km (309 mi). Apogee: 2,075 km (1,289 mi). Inclination: 62.30 deg. Period: 111.30 min. ASAT interceptor. Intercepted Cosmos 248 target on second orbit. Repeatedly approached Cosmos 248, verifying primary and reserve homing and guidance systems. Destroyed itself in test of on-board destruct system. Counted as a failure by Western observers because that target was not destroyed; but this was not an objective of the test. Left 109 fragments in orbit, of which 54 were still in orbit in 1996. 1968 October 28 - Baikonur LC142/34. FAILURE: Failure. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1968 November 1 - 00:27 GMT - Baikonur LC90/20. Cosmos 252 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 535 km (332 mi). Apogee: 2,104 km (1,307 mi). Inclination: 62.30 deg. Period: 112.00 min. ASAT interceptor. Intercepted and destroyed Cosmos 248 target satellite within one day of launch. Left 139 fragments in orbit, the largest of any ASAT test. 1968 November 19 - R-36-O rocket accepted into military service. Decree 'On adoption of the R-36-O into armaments' was issued. 1968 December 4 - Baikonur LC142/34. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1968 December 18 - Baikonur PU33. RGCh state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 January 25 - Baikonur LC90/19. FAILURE: Payload propulsion system failed; no orbit. US-A Mass Model Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). RORSAT hardware, representative of production hardware, but using chemical batteries in place of BES-5 nuclear reactor. 1969 March 29 - Baikonur LC142/34. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 April 2 - Baikonur LC162/36. OT? Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 April 18 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 April 25 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 May 22 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 June 27 - Baikonur LC161/35. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 July 11 - Baikonur LC162/36. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 August 4 - Baikonur LC162/36. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 August 6 - 05:40 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 291 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-P. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 144 km (89 mi). Apogee: 548 km (340 mi). Inclination: 62.20 deg. Period: 91.40 min. Test of Tsyklon 2 booster; ASAT target mass model. Did not enter typical target orbit due to lack of on-board engine. Simulated launch of ASAT interceptor planned for the next day was cancelled. 1969 September 9 - Baikonur LC162/36. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 September 15 - 16:05 GMT - Baikonur LC191/66. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Yu45201 No. 50T Cosmos 298 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 127 km (78 mi). Apogee: 162 km (100 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.30 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. 1969 September 25 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 October 23 - Baikonur LC161/35. R-36 8K67P Palma-3 RVSN Command operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 October 24 - Baikonur LC142/34. R-36 8K67P Palma-3 RVSN Command operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 October 25 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 November 1 - Baikonur LC90/20. Test mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). 1969 November 4 - Baikonur LC142/34. OS-67 No. 1L test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 December 2 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 December 12 - Baikonur LC142/34. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 December 19 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1969 December 23 - 09:25 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 316 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 152 km (94 mi). Apogee: 1,638 km (1,017 mi). Inclination: 49.50 deg. Period: 102.80 min. Test of Tsyklon 2 booster; mass model of ASAT. When the satellite decayed over US Midwest on 28 August 1970, teams of the USAF 1127th Special Group were able to recover six pieces from five locations in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. These showed that the necessary operational systems - translation engines, sensors, weapons systems - were dummied by steel weights. However factory markings on the recovered material proved to the Air Force analysts that they were dealing with an ASAT weapon. 1970 January 2 - Tsiklon 3 launch vehicle development authorised. Spacecraft: Tselina-D, Meteor. Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On the Creation of the Carrier-Rocket 11K68 on The Basis of 11K69 RN and S5M Stage for Launch of Space Apparatus 'Tselina' and .Meteor'--approval of work on the Tsiklon-3 RN 1970 January 17 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 January 21 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 January 30 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 January 30 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 February 9 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 February 18 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 February 19 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 February 20 - Baikonur LC161/35. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 March 9 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 March 29 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 March 30 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 April 11 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 April 13 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 April 15 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 April 20 - Baikonur LC162/36. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 April 27 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 June 29 - Baikonur LC162/36. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 July 25 - Baikonur LC162/36. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 July 28 - 22:00 GMT - Baikonur LC191/66. LV Model: R-36-O . R-36O 8K69 Yu45201 No. 49T Cosmos 354 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 137 km (85 mi). Apogee: 165 km (102 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.50 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. 1970 August 7 - Baikonur LC162/36. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 September 12 - Baikonur LC142/34. OS state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 September 25 - 14:05 GMT - Baikonur LC191/66. R-36O 8K69M 4502741260 Cosmos 365 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 145 km (90 mi). Apogee: 173 km (107 mi). Inclination: 49.50 deg. Period: 87.70 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. 1970 October 3 - 10:26 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 367 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 915 km (568 mi). Apogee: 1,022 km (635 mi). Inclination: 65.30 deg. Period: 104.50 min. Ocean surveillance; probably used chemical batteries. 1970 October 8 - Baikonur LC142/34. Palma-4 Operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 October 12 - Baikonur LC161/35. FAILURE: Failure. Palma-4 Operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1970 October 20 - 05:38 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 373 Mass: 650 kg (1,430 lb). Spacecraft: IS-P. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 510 km (310 mi). Apogee: 1,103 km (685 mi). Inclination: 62.90 deg. Period: 101.00 min. ASAT target. Maneuvered twice to provide target for Cosmos 374 and 375 interceptors. 1970 October 23 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 October 23 - 04:42 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 374 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 531 km (329 mi). Apogee: 1,464 km (909 mi). Inclination: 63.00 deg. Period: 105.10 min. ASAT interceptor. Intercepted Cosmos 374 on second orbit. Blown up on instructions from ground. 1970 October 29 - Baikonur LC142/34. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 October 30 - 02:36 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 375 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 579 km (359 mi). Apogee: 1,986 km (1,234 mi). Inclination: 62.80 deg. Period: 111.20 min. ASAT interceptor. Intercept on second orbit. Blown up on instructions from ground. Dual launch of interceptors was intended to help ground staff perfect computational methods for quick-response launches when orbital methods of target were not precisely known. 1970 November 5 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 December 11 - Baikonur LC161/35. RVSN Command operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1970 December 12 - Baikonur LC142/34. RVSN Command operational test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1971 February 17 - Baikonur LC161/35. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1971 February 25 - 11:11 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 397 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 572 km (355 mi). Apogee: 2,164 km (1,344 mi). Inclination: 65.70 deg. Period: 113.10 min. ASAT interceptor. Intercept and destruction of target successful on second orbit. 1971 April 1 - 11:29 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 402 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 965 km (599 mi). Apogee: 1,011 km (628 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 104.90 min. Ocean surveillance; probably used chemical batteries. 1971 April 4 - 14:27 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 404 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 802 km (498 mi). Apogee: 1,010 km (620 mi). Inclination: 65.70 deg. Period: 103.10 min. ASAT interceptor. Conducted an extended test flight to shake out homing system and engine function. Tested new redundant ranging systems. Tested effectiveness of new approach trajectory to target, whereby target was approached from above rather than below. Following completion of tests and verification of system functions via telemetry, spacecraft was commanded to a destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean. 1971 June 26 - Baikonur LC142/34. Operational missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1971 August 8 - 23:45 GMT - Baikonur LC191/66. Cosmos 433 Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Spacecraft: OGCh. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 112 km (69 mi). Apogee: 299 km (185 mi). Inclination: 49.40 deg. Period: 88.50 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test. 1971 September 9 - Baikonur LC142/34. Combat training launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1971 October 2 - Baikonur LC161/35. Combat training launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1971 December 2 - Baikonur LC142/34. OS state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1971 December 3 - 13:19 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 462 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 229 km (142 mi). Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 105.40 min. ASAT interceptor. Successfully intercepted and destroyed Cosmos 459 target. This completed state trials test series and in 1972 the Istrebitel Sputnik was adopted as armament for the Soviet Army. Cosmos 462 produced the lowest number of fragments (27) of any of the ASAT's tested. 1971 December 25 - 11:30 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 469 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 948 km (589 mi). Apogee: 1,006 km (625 mi). Inclination: 64.50 deg. Period: 104.60 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. First RORSAT flight confirmed by Russian source to have had BES-5 nuclear reactor. 1972 April 12 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1972 May 26 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1972 July 14 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1972 August 21 - 10:36 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 516 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 906 km (562 mi). Apogee: 1,038 km (644 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 104.50 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1972 August 24 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1972 September 15 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1973 January 24 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1973 March 9 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1973 April 8 - Baikonur LC162/36. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1973 April 25 - Baikonur LC90/19. FAILURE: Payload propulsion system failed; no orbit. RORSAT failure Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: RVSN. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. Last launch of original US-A design by Savin's KB. American 'sniffer' aircraft flew over the Pacific after this failure looking for radioisotopes traces in order to characterise the reactor. 1973 May 23 - Baikonur LC161/35. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1973 July 21 - Baikonur LC161/35. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1973 August 17 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1973 October 8 - Baikonur LC161/35. FAILURE: Failure. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1973 December 21 - Baikonur LC162/36. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1973 December 27 - 20:19 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 626 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 907 km (563 mi). Apogee: 982 km (610 mi). Inclination: 65.40 deg. Period: 103.90 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. First test of modernised design by KB Arsenal. 1974 January 12 - Baikonur LC162/36. DKh state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1974 April 16 - Baikonur LC162/36. DKh state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1974 May 15 - 07:30 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 651 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 890 km (550 mi). Apogee: 946 km (587 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 103.40 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1974 May 17 - 06:53 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 654 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 924 km (574 mi). Apogee: 1,006 km (625 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 104.40 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1974 October 3 - Baikonur LC162/36. FAILURE: Failure. OS state trials flight Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1974 October 17 - Baikonur LC162/36. Yantar state trials launch Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1974 December 24 - 11:00 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 699 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 428 km (265 mi). Apogee: 440 km (270 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean monitoring; exploded 4/17/75. 1975 January 19 - Baikonur LC162/36. Svilets test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1975 January 21 - Baikonur LC162/36. FAILURE: Failure. Svilets test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi). 1975 January 27 - Baikonur LC142/34. Svilets test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1975 February 27 - Baikonur LC142/34. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1975 February 28 - Baikonur PU33. State trials missile test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1975 April 2 - 11:00 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 723 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 899 km (558 mi). Apogee: 961 km (597 mi). Inclination: 64.70 deg. Period: 103.60 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1975 April 7 - 11:00 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 724 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 852 km (529 mi). Apogee: 943 km (585 mi). Inclination: 65.60 deg. Period: 102.90 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1975 June 25 - Baikonur LC142/34. OS-67 test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1975 October 1 - US-A and Tsiklon-2 accepted into military service. Spacecraft: US-A. Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On adoption of US-A with Tsiklon-2 into armaments' was issued. 1975 October 25 - Baikonur LC90/19. Operational test? Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). 1975 October 29 - 11:00 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 777 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 425 km (264 mi). Apogee: 442 km (274 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean monitoring; exploded 1/76. 1975 December 12 - 12:45 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 785 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 907 km (563 mi). Apogee: 1,004 km (623 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 104.20 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered; failed immediately after reaching orbit. 1976 February 16 - 08:29 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 804 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 160 km (90 mi). Apogee: 702 km (436 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 93.10 min. ASAT interceptor. After intercept with target deorbited using on-board engine. 1976 April 13 - 17:16 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 814 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 118 km (73 mi). Apogee: 480 km (290 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 90.50 min. ASAT interceptor. After intercept with target deorbited using on-board engine. 1976 July 2 - 10:30 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 838 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 428 km (265 mi). Apogee: 440 km (270 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean surveillance. Exploded June/July '76. 1976 July 21 - 15:14 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 843 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 132 km (82 mi). Apogee: 346 km (214 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 89.30 min. ASAT interceptor. Intercepted Cosmos 839. Deorbited after test. 1976 October 17 - 18:06 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 860 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 923 km (573 mi). Apogee: 995 km (618 mi). Inclination: 64.70 deg. Period: 104.30 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1976 October 21 - 16:53 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 861 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 928 km (576 mi). Apogee: 987 km (613 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 104.20 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1976 November 26 - 14:30 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 868 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 422 km (262 mi). Apogee: 444 km (275 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.30 min. 1976 December 27 - 12:05 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 886 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 593 km (368 mi). Apogee: 2,291 km (1,423 mi). Inclination: 65.80 deg. Period: 114.70 min. ASAT interceptor. Intercepted and destroyed Cosmos 880 target. 1977 May 23 - 12:14 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 910 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 149 km (92 mi). Apogee: 506 km (314 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 91.00 min. ASAT interceptor. Failed to intercept Cosmos 909. Deorbited using on-board engine. 1977 June 17 - 07:23 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 918 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 125 km (77 mi). Apogee: 197 km (122 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 87.70 min. ASAT interceptor. Failed to intercept Cosmos 909. Deorbited using on-board engine. 1977 June 24 - 10:30 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/2. Tsiklon-3 No. 2L Cosmos 921 Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Spacecraft: Tselina-D. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 587 km (364 mi). Apogee: 651 km (404 mi). Inclination: 75.80 deg. Period: 97.10 min. Launch vehicle test. Dummy payload. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. 1977 August 24 - 07:07 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 937 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 424 km (263 mi). Apogee: 444 km (275 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean monitoring. 1977 September 16 - 14:25 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 952 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 911 km (566 mi). Apogee: 990 km (610 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 104.10 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1977 September 18 - 13:48 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 954 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 251 km (155 mi). Apogee: 265 km (164 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 89.70 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered; re-entered over Canada, spreading radioactive debris. 1977 September 24 - 10:15 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/2. FAILURE: Probable failure of launch vehicle stage to reach proper orbit. Cosmos 956 Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Spacecraft: Tselina-D. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 355 km (220 mi). Apogee: 864 km (536 mi). Inclination: 75.80 deg. Period: 96.80 min. Launch vehicle test. Dummy payload. Probable failure of launch vehicle stage to reach proper orbit. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. 1977 October 26 - 05:14 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 961 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 269 km (167 mi). Apogee: 1,421 km (882 mi). Inclination: 66.40 deg. Period: 101.80 min. ASAT interceptor. Succeeded in intercept of Cosmos 959. Deorbited using on-board engine. 1977 December 21 - 10:35 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 970 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 936 km (581 mi). Apogee: 1,138 km (707 mi). Inclination: 65.90 deg. Period: 105.90 min. ASAT interceptor. Intercepted Cosmos 970 target. Ordered to self-destruct following interception. 1977 December 27 - 08:00 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/2. FAILURE: Probable failure of launch vehicle stage to reach proper orbit. Cosmos 972 Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Spacecraft: Tselina-D. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 712 km (442 mi). Apogee: 1,157 km (718 mi). Inclination: 75.80 deg. Period: 103.70 min. Launch vehicle test. Dummy payload. Probable failure of launch vehicle stage to reach proper orbit. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. 1978 May 19 - 00:21 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1009 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 966 km (600 mi). Apogee: 1,364 km (847 mi). Inclination: 65.90 deg. Period: 108.60 min. ASAT interceptor. Succeeded in intercept of Cosmos 970. Deorbited using on-board engine. 1978 June 28 - 17:35 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/2. Cosmos 1025 Mass: 4,375 kg (9,645 lb). Spacecraft: Tselina-D. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 551 km (342 mi). Apogee: 567 km (352 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 95.80 min. 1978 October 26 - 07:00 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/2. Cosmos 1045 Mass: 2,670 kg (5,880 lb). Spacecraft: Meteor-2. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 1,686 km (1,047 mi). Apogee: 1,705 km (1,059 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 120.30 min. Probable oceanographic. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. 1979 February 12 - 13:00 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/2. Cosmos 1076 Mass: 1,950 kg (4,290 lb). Spacecraft: Okean-E. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 514 km (319 mi). Apogee: 530 km (320 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 95.10 min. Test mission of Okean satellite without the radar. Development of methods for obtaining operational information on the Pacific Ocean. 1979 April 18 - 12:00 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1094 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 426 km (264 mi). Apogee: 442 km (274 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean monitoring. 1979 April 25 - 10:00 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1096 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 428 km (265 mi). Apogee: 442 km (274 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean monitoring. 1980 January 23 - 07:00 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/1. Cosmos 1151 Mass: 1,950 kg (4,290 lb). Spacecraft: Okean-E. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 566 km (351 mi). Apogee: 589 km (365 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 96.20 min. Test mission of Okean satellite without the radar. Testing of methods for obtaining operational information on the oceans. 1980 March 14 - 10:40 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1167 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 426 km (264 mi). Apogee: 442 km (274 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean monitoring. 1980 April 18 - 00:51 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1174 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 372 km (231 mi). Apogee: 1,419 km (881 mi). Inclination: 66.10 deg. Period: 102.90 min. ASAT interceptor. First test of ASAT after extended storage. Missed Cosmos 1171 target by a large distance; over the two following days two more attempts were made with the backup engine, but all failed. On 20 April the satellite was ordered to self-destruct in orbit, ending the longest ASAT interceptor mission. 1980 April 29 - 11:40 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1176 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 873 km (542 mi). Apogee: 962 km (597 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 103.40 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered; test flight of modified safer design. 1980 November 4 - 15:04 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1220 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 526 km (326 mi). Apogee: 759 km (471 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 97.60 min. Ocean monitoring. 1981 January 23 - Plesetsk LC32/1. FAILURE: Payload shroud failed to separate. Geo-IK no. 1 Mass: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). Spacecraft: Geo-IK. Agency: RVSN. 1981 February 2 - 02:19 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1243 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 294 km (182 mi). Apogee: 1,013 km (629 mi). Inclination: 65.80 deg. Period: 97.80 min. ASAT interceptor. Approached within 50 m of target, but explosive charge did not go off as planned. Deorbited to destructive reentry in the atmosphere. 1981 March 5 - 18:09 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1249 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 904 km (561 mi). Apogee: 976 km (606 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 103.90 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1981 March 14 - 16:55 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1258 Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 299 km (185 mi). Apogee: 1,022 km (635 mi). Inclination: 65.80 deg. Period: 97.90 min. ASAT interceptor. Failed to intercept Cosmos 1241 target. Deorbited to destructive reentry in the atmosphere. 1981 March 20 - 23:45 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1260 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 425 km (264 mi). Apogee: 444 km (275 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean monitoring. 1981 April 21 - 03:45 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1266 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 911 km (566 mi). Apogee: 941 km (584 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 103.60 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1981 August 4 - 08:28 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1286 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 430 km (260 mi). Apogee: 442 km (274 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.20 min. Ocean monitoring. 1981 August 24 - 16:37 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1299 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 926 km (575 mi). Apogee: 962 km (597 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 103.90 min. Ocean surveillance; nuclear powered. 1981 August 24 - 21:40 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/1. Cosmos 1300 Spacecraft: Tselina-D. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 589 km (365 mi). Apogee: 609 km (378 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 96.70 min. 1981 September 14 - 20:31 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1306 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: -. Perigee: 168 km (104 mi). Apogee: 424 km (263 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 90.40 min. Ocean monitoring; replaced Cosmos 1260. 1981 September 21 - 13:10 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/1. Oreol 3 Mass: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Spacecraft: AUOS. Agency: RVSN. Perigee: 394 km (244 mi). Apogee: 1,672 km (1,038 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 105.80 min. Carried Soviet/French magnetosphere and ionosphere experiments. Investigation of physical processes in the earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere, and study of the nature of polar aurorae. Carried scientific equipment developed by Soviet and French specialists under the joint Soviet-French project 'Arkad-3'. 1981 September 30 - 08:00 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/1. Cosmos 1312 Mass: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). Spacecraft: Geo-IK. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 1,491 km (926 mi). Apogee: 1,503 km (933 mi). Inclination: 82.60 deg. Period: 115.90 min. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. 1981 December 3 - 11:47 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/1. Cosmos 1328 Spacecraft: Tselina-D. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 597 km (370 mi). Apogee: 619 km (384 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 96.90 min. 1982 February 11 - 01:11 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1337 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 426 km (264 mi). Apogee: 444 km (275 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 93.30 min. Ocean monitoring. 1982 March 25 - 09:50 GMT - Plesetsk LC32/1. Meteor 2-08 Mass: 2,750 kg (6,060 lb). Spacecraft: Meteor-2. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 933 km (579 mi). Apogee: 957 km (594 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 103.90 min. Acquisition of meteorological information and data on fluxes of penetrating radiation in circumterrestrial space. 1982 April 29 - 09:55 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1355 Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Spacecraft: US-P. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 277 km (172 mi). Apogee: 295 km (183 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 90.20 min. Ocean monitoring. 1982 May 14 - 19:39 GMT - Baikonur LC90/19. Cosmos 1365 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb |
