LAUNCH GROUP I, LAUNCH SITE 17 TYURATAM MISSILE TEST CENTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04563A000300010007-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 1, 2001
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: November 1, 1968
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Releal~l Qp/05cR.ET78T04563A00030001000R,q -15/0006/69
~~ vv TCS-24070/68
Basic Imagery Interpretation Report
NATIONAL
PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION
CENTER
handle via TALENT-KEYHOLE control only
LAUNCH GROUP I, LAUNCH SITE 11
TYURATAM MISSILE TEST CENTER
MISSILE RANGES--STRATEGIC SSM & SPACE FACILITIES
USSR
NOVEMBER 1968
DECLASS REVIEW by NIMA/DOD
COPY NO.!Q.r
..... 5.....PAGES
59 v AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING
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Nov. 1968 TS/T/K
TITLE NPIC
TCS-2+070/68
M110 4:2-9
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TITLE NPIC
68
T(',S-24 70.
Nov. 1908
SEC. CLASS. LOCATION
TS /m /K
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Launch Group I, Launch Site 17, Tyuratam Missile Test Center UR
UTM COORDINATES GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES
45-56-35N 063-27-50E
25X1 D AMS. DESPA, Series 2, Sheet NL 41A/2, Oct 64, Scale 1:50,000 (TOP SECRET RUFF)
25X1 D
25X1 D
ABSTRACT
This report covers the period of construction, from
for the three silos at Launch Site 17, one of the sites in Launch Group I at the Tyuratam
Missile Test Center. Graphics include a location map showing the position of Launch
Group I within the Test Center and a detailed line drawing of the three silos within their
security fence. All significant features are annotated on the drawing and it is accompanied
by a keyed mensuration table.
INTRODUCTION
Launch Site 17, the most recently constructed site in Launch Group I at the Tyuratam
Missile Test Center, is about 10 nautical miles (nm) east-northeast of Launch Complex A
and 12 nm southwest of Launch Complex B. The first evidence of construction for this
site was observed on photography and no construction activity was dis-
cernible on coverage.
This site is unique within Launch Group I (Figure 1) as it is the only site in the
group which has three launch silos within a common security fence. It is directly con-
nected by ditching, probably for cables, to Launch Site 11, a Type IIIC control site and to
a recently constructed underground building near the Instrumentation and Tracking Fa-
cility at Launch Complex A.
Available evidence indicates that the 17 silos have characteristics of the Type IIIC
silos, however, a lack of high resolution photography during critical stages of construction
prevents a definitive comparison.
BASIC DESCRIPTION
Launch Site 17 (Figure 2) consists of three launch silos, their associated entrance
buildings (item 2), a buried structure (item 3), a barracks and administration building
(item 9), and other small buildings and structures. The three silos are equally separated
by about 400 feet along a north-south line, and are designated the North Silo, the Center
Silo, and the South Silo.
A hard-surfaced road enters the site from the west side and connects to a triple-loop
road system serving the three silos. Each silo has an apron similar to those observed at
the deployed Type IIIC sites.
Silo Construction
The construction techniques observed at these three silos are essentially the same as
those seen at the other Type IIIC sites in this group 1/ and nearly the same as those seen
at most of the deployed Type IIIC sites. Most of the features and components associated
with the construction of a Type IIIC launch site have been seen at the 17 silos. These
features and components include the U-shaped excavation, silo coring, beveled ring, com-
partmented silo headworks, silo liner, silo door, propellant-associated structures, cylindri-
cal tanks, entrance building, and the twin mound pattern.
At the 17 silos, the silo liner appears to have been placed into its proper position in
two pieces. The only time a silo liner has been observed being emplaced in a Type IIIC
25X1 D silo was in at Launch Site 04 at TTMTC. The liner was in two sections and one
was in a slig t y elevated position at the front edge of the silo headworks. The other was
on the mound in front of the headworks. This may also be the procedure used at the de-
ployed Type IIIC sites. The silo liner segments are first assembled into a complete silo
liner on the mound in front of the silo headworks. Checks are then probably made to in-
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 Road
Railroad
r?1PIC M-4931
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FIGURE 1. LAUNCH GROUP I, TYURATAM MISSILE TEST CENTER, USSR.
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sure that proper alignment has been achieved and then the liner is separated into two
pieces and probably placed, a section at a time, into its proper place. Silo liners have been
observed, assembled in one piece, in front of each of the three 17 silos. At the South Silo 25X1 D
the assembled liner was first seen in the liner was seen 25X1 D
25X1 D separated in two pieces, and no liner was seen in. At the North Silo, the 25X1 D
25X1 D liner was first seen in in two pieces in and possibly placed into 25X1 D
25X1 D its proper position in The liner for the Center Silo was first seen in=
25X1 D and was not seen in
A structure not previously observed at Type IIIC silos (Figure 2, item 3) is immedi-
ately southeast of each of the 17 silos. It has an inclined conduit which serves as an above-
ground personnel entrance and horizontal conduits which project west then northwest to
the base of the headworks. The cruciform structure associated with the personnel entrance
of a Type IIIC silo has not been observed at the 17 silos. Lack of interpretable photogra-
phy during the construction stage may have precluded its identification.
Construction Timing
The time required to complete the South Silo was 23 months, the North Silo took 24
months, and the Center Silo will probably take approximately 27 months. This is appreciably
longer than the 15-18 months it took to complete the silos at the first three sites in this
group, Launch Sites 11, 14, and 15 which are apparently the same type.
Construction began on all three 17 silos in and proceeded at a uniform 25X1 D
pace through the early phases of construction, with the South Silo being the most ad-
25X1 D vanced. By the headworks at the South Silo appeared complete and the
25X1 D
front had been backfilled. A silo door was under construction behind the silo. The other
two had headworks to ground level and a silo liner positioned on the mound in front of 25X1 D
their silos.
At this point, construction effort was apparently transferred almost exclusively to the
South Silo. With the exception of seeing the silo liner separated into two pieces in _
- very little change was observed at either the North or the Center Silo. Construction
of the South Silo appeared to continue at a near normal rate. By the silo head- 25X1 D
25X1 D
works were completely backfilled
observed in a completed stage in
and the site was nearly complete in -. It was
25X1 D
Construction apparently resum
Silo being completed in
on e other two silos in - with the North
The Center Silo was in the final phases of con-
25X1 D
construction in and should be com
lete b
p
y
The apparent stopping of construction at the North and Center Silos of Launch Site
25X1 D
17 in coincides with the stop
ing of construction at sites 12
2/ and 16
13
p
,
,
in this group and the starting of Launch Group 0.
Other Features
A barracks and administration building (Figure 2, item 9) is on the south side of the
site access road where the road enters the site. This building is similar to the one at
Launch Site 11. Another building (item 8) on the south side of this road is situated im-
mediately inside the inner security fence. An earth-mounded structure (item 5) is about
275 feet east-southeast of the Center Silo and also south of the site access road. A proba-
ble underground conduit extends to the west from this structure to another earth-mounded
structure (item 6), then south under the loop road for the South Silo, and finally south-
west toward the security fence to a probable underground entrance. Similar components
are present at the other sites in Launch Group I, but these are not observed at deployed
Type IIIC sites.
Possible dual instrumentation positions, consisting of two low slender structures
(item 4), are northwest and southeast of the South Silo. This is the only silo at this site
to have these positions. If lines connecting the pairs are drawn across the silo, a perpen-
dicular line would extend in a downrange direction. Similar patterns are observed at all
deployed Type IIIC sites.
25X1 D
25X1 D
25X1 D
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1
Silo
d
Inclined passageway
a
Propellant-associated structure
e-f
Passageway
b
Propellant-associated structure
4
Possible dual instrumentation
c
Propellant-associated structure
positions
d
e
f
Propellant-associated structure
Silo aperture
Silo door well
5
a
b
Earth-mounded structure
g
Silo door
6
Earth-mounded structure
2
Entrance bldg
7
Underground entrance
3
Buried structure
8
Bldg
a
Entrance
9
Barracks/administration bldg
b
c
Inclined passageway
Buried bldg
10
Utility structure
25X1 D
Apron/site access road walkway
Fence
Underground structure
Earth mounded structure
Earth mound
I M-493: I
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AMS. DESPA, Series 2, Sheet NL41A/2, Oct 64, Scale 1:50,000 (TOP SECRET RUFF)
1. NPIC. TCS-80660/67, Tyuratam Missile Test Center, Launch Group I, Launch Sites 11, 14, and 15,
Nov 67 (TOP SECRET RUFF)
2. NPIC. TCS-80764/67, Tyuratam Missile Test Center, Launch Group I, Launch Site-13-,- Nov 67
(TOP SECRET RUFF)
EXSUBCOM-BR-P/002-69
NPIC PROJECT
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