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OGCh

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FOBS Bus

AKA: 8F021;FOBS;Fractional Orbital Bombardment System.. Status: Operational 1965. First Launch: 1965-12-16. Last Launch: 1971-08-08. Number: 23 . Gross mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb).

The OGCh 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.

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 maneuver 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 maneuver. 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.

Photo Gallery

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OGCh Credit: Manufacturer Image

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• UR-200 (8K81) launch vehicle development authorised. - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: IS-A, Kosmoplan, OGCh, US-A, US-P.

  An enabling decree was issued on 1 August 1961 by the Central Committee and Politburo. The UR-200 was designed not only to send a thermonuclear warhead over a range of 12,000 km, but also to orbit all of the Kosmoplan military variants: the IS ASAT; the US nuclear-powered naval intelligence satellite; and the Kosmoplan combat re-entry vehicle.

• FOBS threat. - . Nation: Russia. Spacecraft: OGCh.

  U.S.S.R. announced policy of resumption of nuclear weapon testing which had been suspended March 31, 1958, and that bombs can be delivered anywhere in the world by "powerful rockets like those Majs. Yuri Gagarin and Gherman Titov rode to begin their unrivaled space flights around the Earth."

• Khrushchev ousted from power. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Chelomei, Khrushchev. Spacecraft: IS-A, Kosmoplan, LK-1, OGCh, US-A, US-P. Brezhnev faction assumes control of Politubro. Brezhnev was adverse to all projects Khrushchev had supported. These included those of Chelomei and his OKB-52..

• First attempted launch of Fractional Orbital Bombardment System booster. - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Spacecraft: OGCh. COSPAR: F19650305. A fire broke out during fuelling and the rocket exploded, seriously damaging the launch pad at Area 67..

• Development of R-36-O and Tsyklon launch vehicles authorised - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Chelomei, Keldysh, Yangel. Spacecraft: IS-A, OGCh, US-A.

  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.

• OGCh No. 01L - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Spacecraft: OGCh. COSPAR: U651216A. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). First suborbital test of the FOBS system. Impacted within specification CEP in target zone..

• OGCh No. 02L - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Spacecraft: OGCh. COSPAR: U660205A. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Second suborbital test of the FOBS system..

• OGCh No. 03L - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Spacecraft: OGCh. COSPAR: U660316A. Apogee: 0 km (0 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.

• OGCh No. 04L - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Spacecraft: OGCh. COSPAR: U660519A. Possible suborbital test of FOBS booster or failed FOBS test. Not mentioned as FOBS-related in contemporary CIA assessments..

• OGCh - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1966-11-11 . USAF Sat Cat: 2437 . COSPAR: 1966-088A. Apogee: 792 km (492 mi). Perigee: 138 km (85 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.

• OGCh - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1976-04-26 . USAF Sat Cat: 2931 . COSPAR: 1966-101AS. Apogee: 767 km (476 mi). Perigee: 504 km (313 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..

• Cosmos 139 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-01-25 . USAF Sat Cat: 2656 . COSPAR: 1967-005A. Apogee: 210 km (130 mi). Perigee: 144 km (89 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..

• Cosmos 160 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-05-18 . USAF Sat Cat: 2806 . COSPAR: 1967-047A. Apogee: 177 km (109 mi). Perigee: 137 km (85 mi). Inclination: 49.70 deg. Period: 87.60 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test..

• Cosmos 169 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-07-17 . USAF Sat Cat: 2878 . COSPAR: 1967-069A. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Perigee: 135 km (83 mi). Inclination: 49.70 deg. Period: 87.80 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test..

• Cosmos 170 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-07-31 . USAF Sat Cat: 2902 . COSPAR: 1967-074A. Apogee: 199 km (123 mi). Perigee: 141 km (87 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.90 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test..

• Cosmos 171 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-08-08 . USAF Sat Cat: 2911 . COSPAR: 1967-077A. Apogee: 177 km (109 mi). Perigee: 138 km (85 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.60 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test..

• Cosmos 178 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-09-19 . USAF Sat Cat: 2951 . COSPAR: 1967-089A. Apogee: 258 km (160 mi). Perigee: 138 km (85 mi). Inclination: 49.70 deg. Period: 88.40 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test..

• Cosmos 179 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-09-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 2962 . COSPAR: 1967-091A. Apogee: 207 km (128 mi). Perigee: 139 km (86 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.90 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test..

• Cosmos 183 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-10-18 . USAF Sat Cat: 3001 . COSPAR: 1967-099A. Apogee: 306 km (190 mi). Perigee: 140 km (80 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 89.00 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment system test..

• Cosmos 187 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1967-10-28 . USAF Sat Cat: 3016 . COSPAR: 1967-106A. Apogee: 301 km (187 mi). Perigee: 143 km (88 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 88.90 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test..

• Cosmos 218 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1968-04-25 . USAF Sat Cat: 3217 . COSPAR: 1968-037A. Apogee: 162 km (100 mi). Perigee: 123 km (76 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.30 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test..

• OGCh - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. COSPAR: 1968-U01xx. Probable suborbital test of Fractional Orbital Bombardment System..

• OGCh - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. COSPAR: 1968-U02xx. Probable suborbital test of Fractional Orbital Bombardment System..

• Cosmos 244 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1968-10-02 . USAF Sat Cat: 3449 . COSPAR: 1968-082A. Apogee: 158 km (98 mi). Perigee: 140 km (80 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.40 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test..

• Cosmos 298 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1969-09-15 . USAF Sat Cat: 4092 . COSPAR: 1969-077A. Apogee: 162 km (100 mi). Perigee: 127 km (78 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.30 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test..

• Cosmos 354 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1970-07-28 . USAF Sat Cat: 4481 . COSPAR: 1970-056A. Apogee: 165 km (102 mi). Perigee: 137 km (85 mi). Inclination: 49.60 deg. Period: 87.50 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test..

• Cosmos 365 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1970-09-25 . USAF Sat Cat: 4556 . COSPAR: 1970-076A. Apogee: 173 km (107 mi). Perigee: 145 km (90 mi). Inclination: 49.50 deg. Period: 87.70 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test..

• Cosmos 433 - . Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: RVSN. Class: Military. Type: Orbital bombing system. Spacecraft: OGCh. Decay Date: 1971-08-09 . USAF Sat Cat: 5402 . COSPAR: 1971-068A. Apogee: 299 km (185 mi). Perigee: 112 km (69 mi). Inclination: 49.40 deg. Period: 88.50 min. Fractional Orbital Bombardment System test..