TYURATAM SPACE LAUNCH SITE A1 USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01782R000100800001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 12, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 1, 1980
• Content Type: REPORT

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basic imagery Interpretation report
Tyuratam Space Launch Site Al
USSR (S)
MISSILE RANGES: STRATEGIC SSM SPACE FACILITIES
Top Secret
Top Secret
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RCA-15/0003/80
SEPTEMB25X180
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Top Se 7`~
Tyuratam Space Launch Site A I
UTM COORDINATES
NA
GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES
45-55-16N 063-20-30E
SAC. USATC, Series 200, Sheet 0246-13, scale 1:200,000
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1. (TSR) Tyuratam Space Launch Site Al supports the SL-03, SL-04, and SL-06 space vehicles-all
versions of the SS-6 ICBM. All of these space launch vehicles are assembled and tested at Test Support Facility
I and launched from Launch Site Al.
2. (S/D) Since the previous NPIC report, published in December 1966, two major 25X1
periods of refurbishment activity-during the spring of 1970 and the late winter-spring of 1979-have been
observed at Launch Site Al. No modifications to the launch pad or to the service gantry tower have been
observed. Several ancillary features at the site have been modified or constructed.
3. (S/D) This report describes this refurbishment activity at the launch pad, the modifications and
additions at the launch site, and the major additions to buildings at Test Support Facility 1. This report
includes five annotated photographs and a location map.
INTRODU
CTION
4. ~ T
yuratam
Space Launch Site A l is
in the ce
nter of the Tyuratum rangehe
ad, approxi
-
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mately 20 nautical
miles
north of the main support
base (Fig
ures 1 and 2). Site A l and
Test Suppor
t
Facility I
the original facilities at the
Tyurata
m Missile and Spacee Test Cen
ter (MSTC)
,
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were in use when
the firs
t US overhead photography
of the ran
gehead was obtained in late
August 1957
.
The facilities were probably started in 1955 and were completed in early 1957.' During the period 1957 to
1960, all SS-6 ICBMs and space vehicle versions of the SS-6 were fired from site Al. With the completion
of Tyuratam Space Launch Site Bl in late 1960, the SS-6 ICBM firings were moved to site BI. Since 1961,
Site A l has only been involved in supporting space vehicle launches and is the primary manned space
launch pad at the test center. Refurbishment, modifications, and additions have been observed since
December 1966.2
BASIC DESCRIPTION
5 . (S/D) Launch Site A l consists of a large, square launch pad positioned over a large exhaust pit
(Figure 3). An opening 15 meters in diameter is centered in the launch pad with seven movable vertical
arms mounted around and on the aperture ring within the opening in the launch pad. Four of the seven
vertical arms serve as launch vehicle stabilization arms, two serve as service tower arms, and one serves as
a support arm for the necessary umbilical connections to the launch vehicle (Figure 4).' The two service
tower arms have circular work platforms which encircle the launch vehicle during the checkout phase prior
to launching. The loading azimuth of the launch pad is 90 degrees. The pad is flanked by a pair of
lightning arrester towers, each about 73 meters high.
6. (S/D) In April 1970, a major refurbishment of the launch site was underway, as was a reconstruc-
tion of the south wall of the exhaust pit. Equipment, material, and vehicles were seen on the launch pad
apron. Also, the roof had been removed from a partially underground building exposing at least 30 small-
diameter tanks. Additions were made to this building during the January 1979 refurbishment that tripled it
in size. No additional tanks were identified during the 1979 refurbishment.
7. (S/D) In January 1979, the second known refurbishment of the launch site was underway. Equip-
ment, material, and vehicles were seen again on the launch pad apron. During this refurbishment the seven
movable vertical arms that make up the gantry service tower were removed from the launch pad aperture,
placed on the pad approach apron (Figure 3), and later reassembled. No modifications to the gantry
service tower were observed. Because of the lack of timely coverage in April 1979, it is not known if the
gantry service tower was taken down and later reassembled. The construction activity seen at site A l
during the latest refurbishment consisted of tripling the size of the partially underground, propellant-
related building, the addition of a support building, the excavation of seven small-diameter silo corings (Figure
5), and the excavation of several trenches within the exhaust pit. The function of the small-diameter (approxi-
Top Secret RCA-I 5/0003/40
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Railroad
Road
Trail
? ICBM launch facility
^ ICBM launch facility, inactive
A ICBM launch control facility
^ Space-related launch facility
NM Launch complex support facility
# SAM site
SPT
FAC 5
PAYLOAD HANDLING
FACILITY
PROPELLANT HANDLING
FACILITY SOUTHWEST
NPIC S-9663
FIGURE 1. FACILITIES AT TYURATAM MISSILE/SPACE TEST CENTER SSM, USSR
TYURATAM
0
a
N
CD
r)
CD
I
C
n
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Top Secret R U FF~
mately~ silo corings is not known. When this area was last observed, a cover had been placed over
each approximately0coring.
8 . (TSR) On an SL-04 launch vehicle was seen erected on launch pad A l (Figure 6).
Since this vehicle was not launched, it was probably being used to check out the launch pad for an actual
launch in the future.
9 . (TSR) Test Support Facility I (Figure 2) is connected by rail to Space Launch Site A l and to
Space Launch Site J I /2 and has supported both launch sites. Originally, it consisted of two assembly and
checkout areas. The first area contains the original assembly building and a spacecraft preparation build-
ing that has supported sites J I /2 and Al. An addition to the original assembly building was constructed
between July 1973 and May 1974. Also, an addition was made to the spacecraft preparation building
between December 1968 and February 1970. The second assembly and checkout area supported the SS-6
payloads-both weapons and space. With the completion of Space Launch Site BI, this area supported the
SS-9 weapons program and subsequently supported the SS-17 and SS-18 weapons programs. The area is
now designated the Tyuratam MSTC Payload Handling Facility
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(TSR) All applicable KEYHOLE imagery acquired from July 1966 through was used 25X1
in the preparation of this report.
MAPS OR CHARTS
SAC. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0246-13, scale 1:200,000 (UNCLASSIFIED)
DOCUMENTS
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2. NPICI Tvuratam Missile Test Center Launch Complex A, Dec 66 (TOP SECRET
3. Air et Cosmos (magazine, in French), No 710, 18 March 1978 (UNCLASSIFIED)
NPIC.I ,ACA-15/0006/79, Activity and Developments at Tyuratam Missile/Space Test ('enter SSM, May
1978-Noveinher 1979 (TSR), Apr 80 (TOP SECRET
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COMIREX P02
Project 200007DP
(S) Comments and queries regarding this report are welcome. The may be directed to
Soviet Strategic Forces Division, Imagery Exploitation Group, NPIC,
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Top Secret RCA-15/0003/80 25X1
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Top Secret
Top Secret
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