Kapustin Yar home
topic index
Kaputsin Yar
Credit - © Mark Wade
Alternate Name: GTsP-4. Type: Orbital Launch Site. Operator: Russia. Country: Russia. Latitude: 48.57807 deg. Longitude: 46.25420 deg. Altitude: 5.00 m (16.40 ft). Minimum Inclination: 48.0 degrees. Maximum Inclination: 51.0 degrees.

Russia's first missile test range and used for satellite launches of smaller Kosmos vehicles. V-2's launched from here in 1946 were the first ballistic missiles fired on Soviet territory. It was greatly expanded as the test site for innumerable Soviet intermediate and short range missile projects in the 1950's.. Kapustin Year was also headquarters of the first operational R-1/R-2 units, 1950-1953, and later a base for 12 operational R-14 missile launchers. Kapustin Yar was known to have been used for over 3519 major launches from 1946 to 2007.

Launch Pads
  • LC84 - Latitude: 48.5500 deg. Longitude: 46.2500 deg. Used by: Kosmos 3, R-5, RT-15. First Launch: 1959-09-30. Last Launch: 1965-09-01. Number Launches: 3.
  • LC86 - Latitude: 48.5500 deg. Longitude: 46.2500 deg. PU 1 or 4
  • LC107/1 - Latitude: 48.5969 deg. Longitude: 46.2980 deg. Used by: Kosmos 3. First Launch: 1973-01-01. Last Launch: 2006-04-22. Number Launches: 381.
  • LC107/1a - Latitude: 48.5992 deg. Longitude: 46.2980 deg.
  • LC107/1b - Latitude: 48.5969 deg. Longitude: 46.2980 deg.
  • LC107/2 - Latitude: 48.5617 deg. Longitude: 46.2949 deg. Used by: Kosmos 3. First Launch: 1975-04-19. Last Launch: 1981-11-20. Number Launches: 4.
  • LC107/2a - Latitude: 48.5609 deg. Longitude: 46.2949 deg.
  • LC107/2b - Latitude: 48.5609 deg. Longitude: 46.2959 deg.
  • LC107/2c - Latitude: 48.5695 deg. Longitude: 46.2949 deg.
  • LC107/2d - Latitude: 48.5695 deg. Longitude: 46.2959 deg.
  • LC107/2e - Latitude: 48.5688 deg. Longitude: 46.2949 deg.
  • LC107/2f - Latitude: 48.5688 deg. Longitude: 46.2958 deg.
  • LC107/2g - Latitude: 48.5616 deg. Longitude: 46.2958 deg.
  • LC107/2h - Latitude: 48.5617 deg. Longitude: 46.2949 deg.
  • LC86/1 - Latitude: 48.5500 deg. Longitude: 46.2500 deg. Used by: Kosmos 2, R-31. First Launch: 1964-12-01. Last Launch: 1974-12-01. Number Launches: 28.
  • LC86/4 - Latitude: 48.5481 deg. Longitude: 46.2970 deg. Used by: Kosmos 2. First Launch: 1967-12-26. Last Launch: 1973-04-19. Number Launches: 24.
  • LC86/4a - Latitude: 48.5508 deg. Longitude: 46.2950 deg.
  • LC86/4b - Latitude: 48.5487 deg. Longitude: 46.2950 deg.
  • LC86/4c - Latitude: 48.5481 deg. Longitude: 46.2970 deg.
  • Mayak-1 - Latitude: 48.5500 deg. Longitude: 46.2500 deg. Used by: Kosmos 2. First Launch: 1959-09-02. Last Launch: 1959-09-02. Number Launches: 1. Silo
  • Mayak-2 - Latitude: 48.5500 deg. Longitude: 46.2500 deg. Used by: Kosmos 2. First Launch: 1959-12-21. Last Launch: 1964-10-24. Number Launches: 26. Silo
  • MR-100 - Latitude: 48.6700 deg. Longitude: 46.2300 deg. MR-100 launch area
  • OKB1 - Latitude: 48.7500 deg. Longitude: 45.7500 deg. Korolev launch area
  • PL1 - Latitude: 48.4116 deg. Longitude: 46.2621 deg. Used by: Kosmos 2. First Launch: 1961-12-27. Last Launch: 1963-03-21. Number Launches: 2. PL 1, Vladimirovka Air Force test area
  • PL87 - Latitude: 48.5000 deg. Longitude: 45.8000 deg. Used by: RT-2. First Launch: 1966-01-01. Last Launch: 1966-07-01. Number Launches: 7.
  • S - Latitude: 48.4763 deg. Longitude: 46.3175 deg. Launch area south
  • SAM - Latitude: 48.8055 deg. Longitude: 45.7346 deg. SAM Test area
  • silo - Latitude: 48.6000 deg. Longitude: 46.2000 deg. Used by: Kosmos 3. First Launch: 1962-02-11. Last Launch: 1962-02-11. Number Launches: 1. Unknown silo
  • SM-49 - Latitude: 48.5000 deg. Longitude: 45.8000 deg. Used by: R-11. First Launch: 1954-09-26. Last Launch: 1954-09-26. Number Launches: 1. SM-49 submarine simulator
  • SP-2 - Latitude: 48.5000 deg. Longitude: 45.8000 deg. Used by: R-2. First Launch: 1957-06-07. Last Launch: 1962-05-21. Number Launches: 18. Unknown site for R-2A launches
  • START Pioner - Latitude: 48.6149 deg. Longitude: 46.3009 deg. START SS-20 Site
  • START R-12 - Latitude: 48.5807 deg. Longitude: 46.2980 deg. START R-12 Site
  • VLAD - Latitude: 48.3077 deg. Longitude: 46.2021 deg. Used by: Burya. First Launch: 1957-08-01. Last Launch: 1960-12-16. Number Launches: 18. Vladimirovka Air Force test area
General / Launch Complex Unknown Chronology

1946 March 19 - Launch Vehicle: RNII Sounding Rocket. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: FIAN. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi).

1946 June 1 - Launch Vehicle: RNII Sounding Rocket. Test mission Agency: FIAN. Apogee: 35 km (21 mi).

1946 June 1 - Launch Vehicle: RNII Sounding Rocket. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: FIAN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi).

1946 June 1 - Launch Vehicle: RNII Sounding Rocket. FAILURE: Failure. Test mission Agency: FIAN. Apogee: 0 km ( mi).

1953 April 18 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). Massive problems were encountered in the difficult test series - with poor-quality kerosene fuel, handling and leakage of the propellants, and reliable start of the engine. But the Red Army saw much more promise in the design than in Korolev's cumbersome liquid oxygen rockets.

1953 May 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1953 June 3 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1954 April 20 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1954 May 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1954 May 13 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1954 June - Launch Vehicle: R-2. FAILURE: Failed to reach target. First production series test launch.

1954 June - Launch Vehicle: R-2. First production series test launch.

1954 June - Launch Vehicle: R-2. First production series test launch.

1954 June - Launch Vehicle: R-2. First production series test launch. 10th and last launch in production missile series, 8 successes

1954 July - Launch Vehicle: R-2. First test launch of missile modified for heavier payload.

1954 August - Launch Vehicle: R-2. Final test launch of missile modified for heavier payload.

1954 October 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1954 October 20 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1954 December 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 January - Launch Vehicle: R-2. Experimental flight test, plume effect on telemetry transmission. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). R-3 development work.

1955 January 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 February 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 May 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 May 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 May 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 May 21 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 June 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 June 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 June 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 July 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 July 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 July 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 July 30 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1955 December 30 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1956 January 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1956 January 19 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1957 March 25 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1957 April 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1957 April 11 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1957 May 16 - Launch Vehicle: R-2. First operational R-2A launch; carried dogs. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 212 km (131 mi).

1957 May 24 - Launch Vehicle: R-2. Second operational R-2A launch Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 212 km (131 mi).

1957 August 1 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1957 August 8 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1957 September 2 - Launch Vehicle: R-11. Test mission Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1958 August 13 - Launch Vehicle: R-2. R-2A launch Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 212 km (131 mi).

1959 June 22 - Launch Vehicle: R-2. R-2A launch Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 212 km (131 mi).

1959 July 2 - Launch Vehicle: R-2. R-2A flight Apogee: 212 km (131 mi). Carried dogs Otvazhnaya and Snezhinka, rabbit Marfusha.

1960 June 15 - Launch Vehicle: R-2. Carried dogs (Otvazhnaya and one unnamed). Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 212 km (131 mi).

1960 June 23 - 23:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: R-2. R-2A No. 13 Ionosphere / aeronomy / biological mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

1960 June 24 - Launch Vehicle: R-2. Carried dogs, final operational R-2A launch. Agency: NII-88. Apogee: 212 km (131 mi).

1961 July 19 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 July 19 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 August 11 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 August 11 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 August 17 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK FAILURE: Failure. D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1961 August 17 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 August 22 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 August 22 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK FAILURE: Failure. D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1961 August 24 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 August 25 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 August 25 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 October 22 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 October 24 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1961 October 25 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK FAILURE: Failure. D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1961 October 26 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK FAILURE: Failure. D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1961 October 28 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. R-5 UNK D04B Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

Last half 1962 - Launch Vehicle: RT-1. FAILURE: Failure. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

Last half 1962 - Launch Vehicle: RT-1. FAILURE: Failure. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1962 October 22 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. Nuclear test K-3 Nuclear test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). The R-12 (other sources say an R-5M) launched a live thermonuclear warheads toward Sary Shagan which was detonated at an altitude of 300 km. High altitude tests designed to test electromagnetic pulse effects on electronics, especially ABM system radars.

1962 October 28 - Launch Vehicle: R-5. Nuclear test K-4 Nuclear test Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). In a test of nuclear fratricide and ABM effectiveness, an R-5M (some sources say an R-12) launched a live thermonuclear warhead toward Semipalitinsk/Sary Shagan which was detonated at an altitude of 150 km. Two R-9 ICBM's were launched minutes earlier, timed to pass through the zone of the explosion. Both missiles guided to the planned impact zone without apparent ill-effect. This high altitude test was designed to test electromagnetic pulse effects on electronics, especially ABM system radars and incoming 'friendly' ICBM's.

First half 1963 - Launch Vehicle: RT-1. FAILURE: Failure. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

Spring 1963 - Launch Vehicle: RT-1. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

Spring 1963 - Launch Vehicle: RT-1. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1963 September 9 - Launch Vehicle: R-UNK. SSATC Target Agency: MVS. Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

November 1966 - Launch Vehicle: RT-15. First RT-15 launch in regiment test series. Agency: RVSN.

1970 April 22 - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Ionosphere mission Apogee: 170 km (100 mi).

1971 September 1 - 09:45 GMT - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Magnetic Apogee: 177 km (109 mi).

1971 September 1 - 12:45 GMT - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Magnetic Apogee: 177 km (109 mi).

1975 - Launch Vehicle: R-31. Test mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).

1975 - Launch Vehicle: Pioner. Test mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1975 July 1 - Launch Vehicle: Pioner. Test mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1976 January 9 - Launch Vehicle: Pioner. Test mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1982 June 18 - Launch Vehicle: Pioner. Test mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1985 May 22 - Launch Vehicle: Pioner. Test mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1985 June 18 - 23:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Pioner. Test mission Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 500 km (310 mi).

1990 - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1990 - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1990 - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1990 - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1990 - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi).

1991 - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Apogee: 250 km (150 mi).

1991 - Launch Vehicle: MR-12. Apogee: 250 km (150 mi).

2005 November 1 - 17:10 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Topol. Topol M test Agency: RVSN RF. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Evasive Warhead ICBM Test. The missile was said to have entered a lower suborbital trajectory than was standard, and the warhead to have made evasive maneuvers both in space and during re-entry. This was said to give the system an 87% chance of penetrating planned American ballistic missile defence systems.

2007 December 8 - 14:43 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Topol. Balkhash Agency: RVSN RF. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi).

Contact us with any corrections, additions, or comments.
Conditions for use of drawings, pictures, or other materials from this site..
To contact astronauts or cosmonauts.

© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.