MOSCOW EXPLOSIVES PROPELLANTS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITY LYUBERTSY, STRATEGIC WEAPONS INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, USSR,(SANITIZE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04563A000800010010-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 6, 2005
• Sequence Number: 10
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2005/06/08 : CIA-RDP78T04563A000800010010-8TOP SECRET
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION CENTER
BASIC IMAGERY
INTERPRETATION
REPORT
MOSCOW EXPLOSIVES PROPELLANTS
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITY LYUBERTSY
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STRATEGIC WEAPONS INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES
USSR
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DECLASS REVIEW by
NIMA/DOD
TOP SECRET5X1
RCA-09/0009/71
COPY NO 1," 3
7' PAGES
GROUP I: EXCLUDED FROM
AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING
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Moscow Explosives Propellants Research and Development Facility Lyubertsy
NA
55-37-30N 037-50-30E
US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0167-5, scale 1:200,000 (SECRET)
NA
ABSTRACT
1. Moscow Explosives Propellants Research and Development Facility Lyubertsy
consists of two major areas: an engineering and laboratory area and a possible double-base 25X1
production area. The latter area has the capability to produce and test very small rocket
motors. The plant covers 60 acres and contains 45 major structures,
2. The major research effort at Moscow Explosives Propellants R&D Facility
Lyubertsy is probably in the rocket motor field. This contention is substantiated by the
completion in 1964 of structures which possibly house double-base rocket motor production
operations and by the proximity and close functional relationship between the subject
facility and Moscow Solid Motor Production Plant Lyubertsy (Moscow
Solid Propellant R & D Facility Lyubertsy).
3. Moscow Explosives Propellants R&D Facility Lyubertsy may be the home of
Scientific Research Institute 125, which has been reported by 0 to be in the
Lyubertsy area.
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4. This report is based on photography from I It 25X1
contains a photograph, a line drawing, and textual description and discussion of the
facility.
INTRODUCTION
5. Moscow Explosives Propellants Research and Development Facility Lyubertsy is
situated on uneven terrain near the east bank of the Moscow River, 11 nautical miles (nm)
southeast of the center of Moscow (Figure 1).
6. Photographic evidence suggests that a design bureau involved in solid propellant
and possibly explosives research and development is located here. Scientific Research
Institute 125, probably engaged in propellant and explosives R&D, has been reported in the
Lyubertsy area.1
7. Moscow Explosives Propellants R&D Facility Lyubertsy is the only known facility
in the Moscow area with an apparent capability of producing nitroglycerine. It is very
likely that the facility supplies nitroglycerine to Moscow Solid Propellant R&D Facility
Lyubertsy,2,3 which is 2 nm to the southeast.
8. Moscow Solid Propellant R&D Facility is engaged in development and prototype
production of rocket motors. However, there are no buildings in this plant devoted to
engineering research. This suggests that Moscow Explosives Propellants R&D Facility
Lyubertsy, with an abundance of engineering space, provides the engineering R&I) work
required by the Solid Propellant R&D facility. Although physically separate, the two
facilities may be completely integrated.
9. The Moscow area has the largest concentration of aerospace facilities in the USSR.
The Lyubertsy facility could be related to a number of these installations, including
Krasnoarmeysk Solid Motor Development Facility 25X1
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BASIC DESCRIPTION
Kaliningrad
MISSILE AND SPACE DEVELOPMENT
CENTER KALININGRAD 88
MOSCOW/SUPONINO
Engineering and Laboratory Area
11. The functional distribution of floorspace of the engineering and laboratory area
and a photographic comparison with the Central Design Bureau for Space and
Intercontinental Rockets, Moscow Missile and Space Development Center Kaliningrad 88
25X1 I suggest a design and development role for the facility. Table 2 shows the
floorspace distribution for structures in the area.
10. Moscow Explosives Propellants R&D Facility Lyubertsy covers approximately 60
acres and consists of 45 major structures, providing 52, 246.3 square meters (562,170 square
feet) of floorspace (Figures 2 and 3 and Table 1). The facility can be divided into two main
areas: an engineering and laboratory area and a possible double-base propellant production
and test area.
MOSCOW/SHEREMETYEVO
AIRFIELD
GUIDED MISSILE R&D
PLANT KHIMKI 301
MOSCOW/KHIIAK
AIRFIELD
Krasnogorsk
GUIDED' (SSILE PLANT
' TUSHINQ 82 ,1
MOSCOW/M YACHKOVO
AIRFIELD
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FIGURE 1. LOCATION OF MOSCOW EXPLOSIVES PROPELLANTS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITY LYUBERTSY,
USSR
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MISSILE ANA IEACE PROPULSION
DEVELOP INTER KHIMKI 456
MOSCOW!F`ILI
P'*, AIRF1 Etf
-Railroad, Railroad, double track
I I Railroad, single track
AIRQAFT EXPERIMENTAL
PLANT.HIMKI 243
008000 fbOabV/0009/71
AIRFIELD
CENTRAL AEROHYDRODYNAMIC
GUIDED MISSILE R&D AND
PRODUCTION CENTER (AERODYNAMIC)
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~~ Rallroatl
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Steamllne or pipeline
Barricade
2 Reaent in I
Completed between
Completed between
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Table 1. Data on Buildings and Structures at Moscow Explosives Fropellants Research and Development Facility Gyubertsy
Item
Description or Probable Function
Storage
Storage (2)
Storage
Ingredients preparation
Ingredients preparation & storage
Barricade
Dimensions (meters)
Length Width Height
Floorspace
quare Meters) (Square Feet)
Date
Complete
Comments
RCA-09/0009/71
Bldg inside barricade on first observed
missing ml I still missing on
photography.
Processing
Magazine
Magazine
Poss double-base mixing
Poss shipping
Poss finishing
Finishing
Puss rolling & extrusion
Processing
Nitration
Processing
Laboratory test
South half of bldg complete
0
Five test bays on each side of this section.
Four test hays on each side of this section.
a
b
31
a
b
C
32
33
34
35
36
a
b
37
38
39
40
41
42
a
b
43
44
Inert operations
Support
Utility
Utility
Utility
Utility
Utility
Storage
Utility
Foundry
Engineering
Shop/assembly
Engineering
Shop
Engineering
Support
Warehouse
Warehouse
Support
Engineering Laboratory
Engineering Laboratory
Admin
Admin
Engineering Laboratory
Storage
Shop
Storage
Support
* Approximate measurement.
Three-story section.
Four-story section. Four-story walkway connects
this building with item 35.
Two-story section.
Four-story bldg.
Two-story bldg.
Possibly for pattern or model making.
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Bldg was renovated by
0
Whole bldg een progressively renovated
since
Estimated three-story bldg.
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Table 2. Engineering and Laboratory Area Floorspace Distribution.
Administration
Engineering
Shop and metal working
Shop assembly
Other (storage, support, utility)
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13. The possible double-base production
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12. Two-thirds of the floorspace of this area is devoted to engineering. The area
contains four large multistory engineering/laboratory buildings, the largest of which
appeared to be externally complete in One large shop/assembly building (item 25X1
30), supported by a probable foundry i em 26) is hardware associated with the research and testing g programs.
probably used to produce scale-model
pPossible Double-Base Production Area
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-LUCL s identified on the
[Comm arison with an area of Perm Munitions and Che
mical Combine K Kirov 98basis of a
The identification is weakened by the lack of nitrocellulose production in e plant.
owever, nitrocellulose is easily transportable and is brought in from outside sources in at
least one other double-base plant (Petrokrepost Explosive and Solid Motor Plant Morozov,
14. Based on the relationship and locations of the buildings in this area, it is possible
to hypothesize that double-base rocket motors might be produced in the following manner.
Raw materials for nitroglycerine production, such as nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and glycerin,
are supplied from other plants and stored and prepared for use in the ingredients
preparation buildings (items 4 and 5). After the nitration process (items 7, 15, and 16),
nitroglycerine is mixed with nitrocellulose in the possible double-base mixing building
(item 10).
15. Double-base propellant then moves to the possible rolling and extrusion building
(item 14), where it is extruded into grain of the proper size. Final processing of the grain and
the assembling of motors is accomplished in the finishing building (item 13).
16. The collocation of engineering space and at least 18 small test bays indicates that
item 18 serves as a laboratory test building. Motors of the very small size believed to be
produced at this facility could be tested in this building. A motor too large to be tested in
the laboratory test building could be tested at the nearby Moscow Solid Motor Production
Plant Lyubertsy, which has three test cells.
Chronology
17. This facility has approximately doubled in floorspace since it was first observed in
25X1 The completion of the new engineering building (item 29) by
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represents an increase of over 40 percent in the available engineering floorspace. The
completion between 1964 and 1968 of buildings believed to be associated with double-base
propellant and rocket motor production and the close association with the solid motor
production plant suggest that the major effort at the facility is in the rocket motor field.
Estimated dates of completion for each building are given in Table 1.
Essential Services and Security
18. A single rail spur enters the facility in the northeastern section and serves four
buildings along the northern wall of the plant. Heat and power are supplied from Moscow
Heat and Power Plant, Lyubertsy TETS-22 A security wall completely 25X1
circumscribes the facility.
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MAPS OR CHARTS
USATC. Series 200, Sheet 0167-5, scale 1:200,000 (SECRET)
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1. NSA, "Identification of Scientific Research Institute x'125, Lyubertsy, As a Possible
Munutwns Propellants Research Facility (TOP SECRET CODEWORD--
only)
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2. NPIC. RCA-09/0025/69, Moscow Solid Propellant R&D Facility Lyubertsy, Feb 69 (TOP
SECRET
3. NPIC. RCA-09/0001/71, Moscow Solid Motor Production Plant, Lyubertsy, Aug 70 (TOP
SECRET
4. NPIC. RCA-09/0026/70, Moscow Missile and Space Development Center Kaliningrad 88,
Apr 70 (TOP SECRET
REQUIREMENT
COMIREX BR-J/02
NPIC/IEG/MSD/DMB Project 221339
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photography as of
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