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| R-36 ICBM - Structural test model of R-36 ICBM / Space launcher Credit: © Mark Wade. 7,580 bytes. 72 x 421 pixels. |
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Family: Tsyklon. Country: Ukraine. Status: Hardware. Other Designations: FOBS; Fractional Orbital Bombing System. Library of Congress Designation: F-1r. Department of Defence Designation: SS-9 Mod.3. ASCC Reporting Name: Scarp. Article Number: 8K69. Manufacturer's Designation: R-36-O.
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 main disadvantage was lower accuracy of the warhead in comparison to an ICBM.
Chelomei proposed his UR-200 for the requirement, while Yangel offered the R-36, and Korolev the 8K713. Development problems with the 8K713�s NK-9 engine resulted in continual delays, resulting in cancellation of Korolev�s competitor in 1964. Following Khrushchev�s ouster from power in October 1964, Chelomei�s UR-200 project was reviewed and cancelled. This left Yangel�s R-36 for the mission.
Flight trials of the system were conducted 1965 to 1972. 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 system was in service at 18 siloes at Baikonur from 1969 to 1983.
Launches: 24. Failures: 0. Success Rate: 100.00% pct. First Launch Date: 16 December 1965. Last Launch Date: 09 August 1971. LEO Payload: 3,000 kg. to: 150 km Orbit. at: 52.0 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 241,300 kgf. Total Mass: 182,000 kg. Core Diameter: 3.0 m. Total Length: 33.0 m. Flyaway Unit Cost $: 8.00 million. in 1985 unit dollars.
- Stage Number: 1. 1 x R-36-0-1 Gross Mass: 125,000 kg. Empty Mass: 8,500 kg. Thrust (vac): 270,000 kgf. Isp: 301 sec. Burn time: 120 sec. Isp(sl): 269 sec. Diameter: 3.0 m. Span: 3.0 m. Length: 18.9 m. Propellants: N2O4/UDMH No Engines: 1. RD-251
- Stage Number: 2. 1 x R-36-0-2 Gross Mass: 48,000 kg. Empty Mass: 5,000 kg. Thrust (vac): 97,484 kgf. Isp: 317 sec. Burn time: 160 sec. Diameter: 3.0 m. Span: 3.0 m. Length: 9.4 m. Propellants: N2O4/UDMH No Engines: 1. RD-252
- 1965 Dec 16 - Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC67.
- 1966 Feb 5 - Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC67.
- 1966 Mar 16 - Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC67.
- 1966 May 19 - Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC69.
- 1966 Nov 2 - - 00:43 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC162.
- 1966 Sep 17 - - 22:33 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC162.
- 1967 Aug 8 - - 16:04 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 171 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 171 {FOBS #7}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
 | 8K69 Model Credit: © Mark Wade. 7,083 bytes. 85 x 461 pixels. |
- 1967 Jan 25 - - 13:55 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 139 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 139 {FOBS #3}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
- 1967 Jul 17 - - 16:48 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 169 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 169 {FOBS #5}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
- 1967 Jul 31 - - 16:48 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 170 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 170 {FOBS #6}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
 | R-36 Credit: © Mark Wade. 1,363 bytes. 54 x 454 pixels. |
- 1967 Mar 22 - Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC162. FAILURE: Failure.
- 1967 May 17 - - 16:04 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 160 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 160 {FOBS #4}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
- 1967 Oct 18 - - 13:26 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 183 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 183 {FOBS #10}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
- 1967 Oct 28 - - 13:12 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 187 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 187 {FOBS #11}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
- 1967 Sep 19 - - 14:52 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 178 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 178 {FOBS #8}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
- 1967 Sep 22 - - 14:09 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 179 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 179 {FOBS #9}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
 | Improved survival - Chart showing survivability of vented tunnel design for ICBM deployment Credit: © Mark Wade. 33,365 bytes. 510 x 310 pixels. |
- 1968 Apr 25 - - 00:43 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 218 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 218 {FOBS #12}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
- 1968 May 21 - Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC69.
- 1968 May 28 - Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC69.
- OGCh Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: FOBS. More details
 | Nuclear effect - Chart showing effects of nearby nuclear explosion on conventional ICBM silo Credit: © Mark Wade. 80,277 bytes. 375 x 279 pixels. |
- 1968 Oct 2 - - 13:40 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- Cosmos 244 Spacecraft: FOBS. Payload: Cosmos 244 {FOBS #13}. Mass: 5,000 kg. More details
- 1969 Sep 15 - - 16:04 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- 1970 Jul 29 - - 22:04 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- 1970 Sep 25 - - 14:09 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
- 1971 Aug 9 - - 23:44 GMT. Launch Site: Baikonur .
Bibliography:- 42 - Isakowitz, Steven J,, International Reference to Space Launch Systems Second Edition, AIAA, Washington DC, 1991.
- 79 - Zak, Anatoly, Spaceflight, "Cosmos Launcher", 1996, Volume 38, page 416.
- 99 - Agapov, V, Novosti Kosmonavtiki, "K zapusku pervovo ISZ serii 'DS'", 1997, Issue 6.
- 193 - Placard, TsNIIMASH Museum, .
