PROBABLE SL-16 SPACE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAM AT PLESETSK MISSILE AND SPACE TEST CENTER, USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91T01115R000400590001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 18, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 1, 1987
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/18: CIA-RDP91T01115R000400590001-7
` Secret
NOFORN
Releasable to UK Can Aus
Central Intelligence Agency
Directorate of Intelligence
September 1987
Probable SL-16 Space Launch Vehicle Program at Plesetsk
Missile and Space Test Center, USSR
Summary
The Soviets have been excavating a new space launchsite
at the Plesetsk Missile and Space Test Center in the
northwestern USSR since at least March 1987. Analysis
of the Zaunchsite and othez- probably related
construction indicates that the new site will be used
for Zaunchinq the SL-16 medium-lift space Zaunch
vehicle, which is currently Zaunched only from Tyuratam
Missile and Space Test Center in the southern USSR. We
expect the first of probably two SL-16 launchpads at
Plesetsk to be operational in 1992. With more than
twice the lift capability of the most powerful booster
now launched from Plesetsk, the SL-I6 would
considerably enhance the Soviet ability to place heavy
payloads into near-,nolaz- and sun-synchronous orbits.
Information available as of September 1987 was used in this
report. (U)
Wumry Nave --
Intellyeoae somm or
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Soviet _SL-16_ Program at T~ratam
The SL-16 is the new Soviet medium-lift launch vehicle. The
Intelligence Community estimates it has the capability of placing
up to 17,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit, about l0,OQ0
kilograms more than the SL-4, the most powerful booster currently
launched from Plesetsk. The SL-16 has two stages, both of which
use liquid oxygen (LOX) and kerosene propellants. First launched
from Tyuratam Missile and Space Test Center in 1985, 11 SL-16s
had been launched as of 1 September 1987 (figure 1).
The SL-16 launchsite at Tyuratam--Launchsite Y--consists of two
launchpads (figure 2). Construction of the first launchpad, Y1,
began in mid-1978. The pad was externally complete by December
1982, and the first SL-16 was launched from it in April 1985
after extensive on-pad compatibility testing. Excavation for pad
Y2 did not begin until September 1981, and we do not expect this
pad to become operational until 1989. Construction of the launch
control center (LCC) began in 1978, and was completed before the
first SL-16 launch. The LCC is about 230 meters from pad Y1 and
about 200 meters from pad Y2. Additional facilities at the
launchsite include kerosene and nitrogen storage bunkers, two
spherical LOX storage tanks, a mobile service structure. and t-hP
firms probably two propellant drainage ponds.
2~v~
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Soviet SL-16 Program at Plesetsk
T_he_ Laun_c_hsite
In early 1987, the Soviets began excavation for a launchsite for
the SL-16 at Plesetsk Missile and Space Test Center (figure 3).
The new site is about 2,800 meters south of Launchsite 2.
Launchsite 2, like nearby Launchsites 1 and 3, supports launches
of the SL-3/4/6 vehicles which--like t;he SL-16--use LOX/kerosene
By August 1987, the new site consisted of two excavated areas
about 230 meters apart. These two areas are very similar in
appearance and separation distance to the excavations at Tyuratam
for the SL-16 launchpad Y1 and its LCC. This similarity suggests
that the westernmost excavation at the new Plesetsk launchsite is
for. an SL-16 launchpad and that the easternmost excavation is for
an LCC. This analogy further suggests that, when complete, this
site will have other facilities resembling those of the SL-16
launchsite at Tyuratam, and that construction for an additional
launchpad may begin within the next three years. The second
launchpad would probably be located abort 200 meters east of the
LCC. The Soviets have always built at least two launchpads for
each type of space launch vehicle launched at Plesetsk and at
Tyuratam, so it is unlikely that only one SL-16 launchpad will be
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Support Facilities
Concurrent support facility construction at Plesetsk and at the
Tambov Missile Support Rear Depot further indicates that the new
launchsite at Plesetsk is for the SL-16.
Construction began by March 1986 at Plesetsk for a probable LOX
production facility, located about 6,600 meters southeast of the
new launchsite (figure 4). By June 1987, the construction site
contained foundations for the facility and footings for three 16-
meter-diameter cryogen storage tanks. We expect this facility to
become operational by 1992.
LOX is currently shipped to Plesetsk in cryogen railcars. The
construction of the LOX production facility suggests a
significant future increase in the use of LOX at Plesetsk. Such
an increase in turn suggests either an expansion of the SL-3/4/6
program--since the SL-3/4/6 vehicles are the only boosters now
launched from Plesetsk that use LOX--or that a new vehicle that
uses LOX will be launched from Plesetsk. Because there is no
evidence of expansion at the SL-3/4/6 facilities at Plesetsk and
because we expect the new launchsite to become operational at
about the
facility
addition
same time as the LOX facil
is probably intended to supp
to the SL-3/4/6, only the
ity, we believe the LOX
ort a new program. In
SL-16 and SL-X-17 use
significa
for the
nt
ext
amounts
ensive
of LOX;1 the lack
support facilities
of construction activity
required for the SL-X-17
su ests
tha
t the new vehicle at Plesetsk will be the SL-16.
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Construction began in February 1986 for a probable SL-16 assembly
and checkout building at the Plesetsk Missile Handling Facility.
The building, located in a portion of the facility associated
with the SL-8 space launch vehicle, will consist of_ twin, rail-
served, high-bay sections, each about 131 meters long and 36
meters wide, and a central administrative/engineering section
about 131 meters long and 24 meters wide (figure 5). The
construction timing of this assembly and checkout building, the
new launchsite, and the LOX facility suggests that the three are
probably related. Since the SL-8 does not use LOX and the new
launchsite does not resemble an SL-8 launchsite under
construction, the new assembly and checkout building is probably
for the SL-16 rather than the SL-8.
The SL-12 uses a small amount of LOX in its fourth stage, but
the amount is probably too, small to justify the construction of a
LOX production facility.
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A probable SL-16 support building has been under construction
since January 1985 at the Tambov Missile Support Rear Depot
The new building probably will be about 125 meters
long and about 66 meters wide (figure 6). This building, which
we believe will be completed by 1990, probably will be able to
store at least 10 SL-16 airframes on handling dollies.
SL-3/4/6 launchpad service structure components have also been
seen at the Tambov MSRD, and an SL-3/4/6 strap-on booster has
been seen at the Glazov MSRD. Because the SL-3/4/6 is launched
both from Tyuratam and Plesetsk, the Tambov and Glazov MSRDs
probably serve--for reasons of economy or operational efficiency
--as storage facilities for some SL-3/4/6-related components that
are distributed as needed to both Plesetsk and Tyuratam, although
most components are shipped directly to the launchsites from the
production facilities. The construction of an SL-16 storage
building at the Tambov MSRD suggests that the SL-16 will also be
launched from both Plesetsk and Tyuratam.
Site Advantages
The SL-16 probably will be used to launch Soviet ELINT
(electronics intelligence) and photoreconnaissance satellites,
and other payloads too heavy to now be launched from Plesetsk.
One useful orbit for reconnaissance-type satellites is the sun-
synchronous retrograde orbit.
this orbit makes it possible to image a target at the
same time each day, optimizing lighting conditions. Though not
previously used for Soviet reconnaissance satellites, the C
SL-16 launch of a test payload into a near-sun-
synchronous orbit suggests that the Soviets intend to use such
The major advantage of launching into retrograde orbits at
Plesetsk is probably safety. A vehicle launched from Tyuratam
into a retrograde orbit is launched southwest, avoiding major
Soviet cities to the northwest; however, the vehicle would fly
over Iran before the payload reached orbit; an in-flight failure
could result in the vehicle crashing in Iran or on the Arabian
peninsula. A vehicle launched at Plesetsk can be launched north
into a retrograde orbit, overflying the polar region. Because
the negative effects of the earth's rotation on retrograde
launches is reduced at higher latitLide launchsites, an energy
savings also occurs in retrograde launches from Plesetsk. This
savings means slightly heavier payloads could be launched from
Plesetsk than from Tyuratam.
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