The team defended the G-1 draft project on 28 December 1948. The State Commission found the G-1 to be superior to Korolev's R-2 design in many respects. However the Russian designers managed to convince the government to put the R-2 rather than the G-1 into production by arguing that the manufacturing technology of the G-1 could not be mastered immediately by Soviet Union. Several of the design concepts (integrated propellant tanks, radio-controlled cut-off, forward liquid oxygen tank) were however used by the Russians in their R-2 and R-5 rockets.

Cruise stage tanks 1 and 4 empty. The flight continued to T+309 seconds, the longest to date, at which point the vehicle broke up due to an explosion in the empty propellant tank. The boosters operated normally but separation took place normally at Mach 3.3-3.4 (higher than expected).

With continued weight growth USAF announces Titan III to be developed for Dynasoar orbital missions. References: 26 .

Titan II, an advanced ICBM and the booster designated for NASA's two-man orbital flights, was successfully captive-fired for the first time at the Martin Co.'s Denver facilities. The test not only tested the flight vehicle but the checkout and launch equipment intended for operational use. References: 18 .

North American's Rocketdyne Division completed the first test firings of the CM reaction control engines. References: 16 .

Possible test flight. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 279 .

Prototype RORSAT hardware using chemical batteries in place of nuclear reactor. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 290 .

Military-Industrial Commission (VPK) Decree 104 'On changes in the timeline for the Almaz program and suspension of the 7K-TK' was issued. Due to delays in the Almaz all work on further development of the 7K-TK was suspended. References: 474 .

Resolution 'On approval of work on the 7K-VI Zvezda and course of work on Almaz' no. 305 ordered Kozlov's filial 3 of OKB-1 to undertake first flight of the manned military research spacecraft 7K-VI - 11F73 Zvezda by the end of 1967.

MSC announced the appointment of Sigurd A. Sjoberg as Director of Flight Operations, replacing Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., who had been appointed MSC Deputy Director Nov. 26. Sjoberg had been Deputy Director of Flight Operations since 1963. References: 16 .

Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international coope ration scheme). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Military navigation satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

ASAT interceptor. Intercepted and destroyed Cosmos 880 target. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 272 .

Military topography satellite; returned film capsule; also performed mapping, geodesy, earth resources tasks; separated capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

Stationed at 53 deg E. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 111 , 274 .

High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule; maneuverable. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

Replaced Cosmos 1341. Covered Oko constellation plane 5 - 72 degree longitude of ascending node. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 100 .

Tselina-2 ELINT satellite placed in unusable orbit due to second stage failure. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio communications system in the USSR; transmission of USSR Central Television programmes to stations in the Orbita network and within the framework of international cooperation. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Third stage failure; unusable orbit. Operational communications. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Stationed at 70 deg E. References: 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 .

Indian Remote Sensing Satellite. References: 2 , 5 , 6 .

Aerobraking investigation; satellite provided by Russia, instruments by Utah State University; solar array shorted immediately following deployment and ended mission. References: 2 , 5 , 6 .

16 Ku-band transponders. Stationed at 119 deg W. References: 2 , 5 , 6 .