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Launch facilities for R-36 missiles
Site 42 The heart of test facilities for most missiles and launch vehicles developed at Dnepropetrovsk-based OKB-586 was located at Site 42. The original assembly building known as Facility (Object) 374 or Structure (Sooruzhenie) 1 was founded at Site 42 in 1959. Initially, it was used to process the R-16 missile and later was used to assemble R-36 and MR-UR-100 ballistic missiles. The building was apparently abandoned at the beginning of the 1990s. Site 43 A residential complex for the launch teams serving the Zenit's launch facility was located at Site 43 and 44. The main town includes apartment blocks, hotel, eatery and communications facility. The first military barracks at the site have been built at the end of the 1950s for the military units testing the R-16 ballistic missile. Site 67 Two surface launch pads were built at Site 67 for the initial testing of the Yangel's ballistic missiles, which would be later based in underground silos. The construction of the surface pad for the R-36 (8K67) ICBM was officially approved in June 1962 and the actual construction started in August 1962. The development of the launch complex, designated 8P867, was conducted by the Department 8, KO-8, of the Design Bureau of Transport Machine Building, KBTM. (103) The first launch attempt from the facility took place in September 1963 and it ended in a failure, which required to redesign the launch equipment. The launches were resumed in December 1963. Total 20 launches of the R-36, 8K67, missile were conducted from this site from 1963 to 1965. During 1965, one of the pads of the launch complex at Site 67 was upgraded for the R-36-O, 8K69, orbital ICBM and it was respectively re-designated 8P869. Total four attempts to launch the R-36-O missile from the Site 67 were conducted during 1965 and 1966. During 1970 and 1971, two launch pads at Site 67 were refurbished again for the surface-based testing of the R-36M and MR-UR-100 missiles. In both cases, the firings were conducted from launch containers installed vertically on the surface pad to test a new ejection system. Total nine R-36M and five or seven MR-UR-100 missiles were fired from Site 67 at the beginning of the 1970s. The flight tests of both missiles were then moved to silo facilities elsewhere in Baikonur. (114) Site 67 was abandoned in the 1970s. |
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