RUSSIA MAY BE TESTING THE RE-ENTRY OF WEAPONS FROM SPACE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP69B00369R000200080048-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 48
• Publication Date: August 20, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

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THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, AUGUST
*ohs From Space
By EVERT CLARK
Special to The New York Tlmee
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19-An
unusual sequence of space
launcthngs by the Soviet Union
has lei some American officials
to conclude that the Russians
are testing techniques for re-
entering warheads from space.
This could mean that the Rus-
sians are developing weapons
to be stationed in orbit. Weap-
on re-entry techniques can be
tested with or without the use
of weapons, and the same re-
entry techniques can be used
for either nuclear or conven-
tional weapons.
tember in what was unusual
secrecy even for the Russians.
The most recent flight in the
series of seven was made 11
days. ago. 1
U.N. Resolution Recalled
Since before the space age
began, military analysts have
discussed the possibility of sta-
tioning weapons in orbit. The
ideas ,proposed have included
bombs missiles that could in-
tercept other missiles launched
from earth and manned bom-
bers and inspection-interceptor
vehicles. r
A United Nations resolution,
finally begun tests of the re-
entry of warheads from orbit.
On Jan. 25 of this year, Rus-
sia again launched a vehicle
from Tyuratam at a 49-degree
angle. This one apparently did
not break into a great number
of pieces as the two earlier
ones had. But it remained in
flight for a very short time.
This time, Russia announced
the flight as Cosmos 139, pre-
sumably deciding that Western
detection and discussion of the
two earlier flights made it use-
less to pretend such flights did
not exist. a
But Soviet annoilncements
did not report a period for Cos-
mos 139---the length of time
that the satellite would take to
complete each revolution in
space.
The unusual, short-lived
flights at 49 degrees from the
Tyuratam base have been re-
peated at least four more times
since. Each was given a Cos-
mos number.
Both the United States and
Russia are developing maneuv-
jerable warheads for missiles-
warheads that can alter their
paths late in the flight in order
to confuse interceptor missiles.
But the United States is not
believed to have experimented
extensively with the precise
control of re-entry vehicles
from orbital trajectories, even
with its secret military flights.
Many of the techniques have
been explored to some degree
in the Gemini civilian manned
flihgts and in military satellite.
reconnaissance flights, however.'
In the past, objections to the
stationing of bombs or inter-
ceptor missiles in orbit have
been many and varied. Com-
pletely aside from the political
considerations, critics have ar-1
gued that orbiting systems are
vulnerable and less efficient
and some are costly and less]
secretive than earth-based mis-
siles.
But Dr. Charles M. Herzfeld,
then a Pentagon scientist, re-'
minded Congressmen late last
March that studies of a space-
based anti-missile system were
abandoned three years ago be-
cause the work was "much too
costly."
"We think the time is getting
ripe again," he said, "to look
at the whole question because
the costs of putting things in
orbit have gone down dra-
matically, so that the over-all
cost of the system ought to
-Approved Fir Release 2004/12/15'': CIA-RDP69B00369R000200080048 4
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J
ers boasted in November-1965, of an "orbital missile" that
could deliver nuclear warheads'
"on the first or any other or-
bit around the earth; "
Not until last September,
however, did the Russians con-
duct a launching that appeared
to be a test of such a'weapon.
That flight, on Sept. 17, 1966,
was made from Tyuratam in
Kazakhstan. Its angle of incli-
nation to the equator was dif-'
ferent from that of any previous
Soviet shot. -
Soon after launching, the ve-
hicle was observed by Western
tracking stations to break into
at least 80 pieces. On Nov. 2,
1966, a similar shot was made.
Russia did not report the
launching of either vehicle, al-
though it has long used its so-
called "scientific" cosmosi satel-
lite series to disguise military
flights, according to American
adopted by the General Assem-
bly in 1963 with Soviet sup-
port, calls upon all states to re-
frain from placing weapons of
mass destruction in orbit.
But the question of whether
this prohbits the development
officials.
In December, 1966, American
officials disclosed their con-
cern over these two flights,
finally listing them in in Uf-,
ficial catalogue even though
Russia had never announced
them. .
)
Even earlier than that, some
military men said privately that
resolved. Soviet military lead-]they suspected Moscow had
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