SASYKTAU MISSILE-LAUNCH FACILITY USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04759A001300010008-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 9, 2001
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: June 1, 1965
• Content Type: REPORT

'I'v, 011 P!
Copy 106
TOP SECRET
6 Pages June 1965,
SASYKTAU
MISSILE-LAUNCH FACILITY
USSR
Handle Via TALENT - KEYHOLE Control Only
DECLASS REVIEW by NIMA/DOD
This document contains classified information affecting the national security of the United States within the
meaning of the espionage laws U. S. Code Title 18, Sections 793 and 794. The law prohibits its transmission
or the revelation of its contents in any manner to an unauthorized person, as well as its use in any manner
prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the
detriment of the United States. It is to be seen only by personnel especially indoctrinated and authorized to
receive TALENT-KEYHOLE information. Its security must be maintained in accordance with KEYHOLE and
TALENT regulations.
TOP SECRET
GROUP 1
Exclid.d f.om eu~omofic
dawrtyfcdirvy end d~clacsiiica~ien
 Approved For Release 2TD?49SE 1E11DRTJFp4759A001300010008-5
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Control System Only
TCS-80739/65
SASYKTAU MISSILE-LAUNCH FACILITY, USSR
This report presents a detailed analysis of
the missile-launch activity at 47-32N 49-25E
(computed geographic coordinates), approxi-
mately 5 nautical miles (nm) south-southwest of
Sasyktau and 57 nm east-northeast of Kordon
SAM Training Center (Figure 1). The installation
is in a remote desert region north of the Caspian
Sea where the only access is by unimproved
trails. No major overland transportation fa-
cilities serve it; the nearest known landing
strip within a 60-nm radius is at Kordon, and
the nearest rail line is approximately 55 nm
south of the installation. Permanent support
facilities for housing, storage, and administra-
tive functions are severely limited and no
evidence of temporary facilities such as tent
camps are discernible on photography through
25X1 D
gradual increase in the facilities at the instal-
lation as indicated on Figure 2.
The installation consists of 2 probably hard-
surfaced loop roads connected by a straight
east-west road, and several structures which
are positioned along, or near the basic road
pattern (Figures 2 and 3). At the western loop
road, there are 3 launch positions-
feet apart. Two, and probably all three positions
are connected by linear scars which are prob-
----Trail
10 0 10 20 30 40 so
NAUTIICAL MILES
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Approved For Release I 7 4759A001300010 t`p System Only
 Approved For Releaq?019RI R IA PF8T04759A001300010008-5
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Control System Only
TCS-80739/65
11
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Approved For Releas dp1IgWO - ff-F QpgPT04759A001300010006o5rol System Only
 Approved For Release 4DOP9NEC(REr,[)RUFP4759AO01300010008-5
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Approved For Release f 5V0$1C kfR 72-T-04759A001300010ai System Only
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Control System Only
ably cable connections to a building (Item 1),
65 by 40 by 15 feet high, to the east,
inside the loop (Item numbers are keyed to the
list below and Figures 2 and 3). The building
is the probable control center for the 3 launch
positions. A 20 by 20 foot structure (Item 2)
is just north of the probable control building.
A third building (Item 3), 55 by 30 by 15 feet
high, is across the loop road, to the northeast
of the probable control building. The entire
loop road and the' 3 buildings are within a single
security fence which measures approximately
975 by 530 feet.
The eastern loop road is 3,300 feet south-
east of the western loop road and, although it
has no launch positions, it widens on the west
side to provide a hardstand area approximately
175 by 50 feet. A probable drive-through build-
ing (Item 14), 60 by 50 by 20 feet high, may be
used as a missile-checkout building.
The following is a descriptive listing, with
date first observed, of the structures within the
Sasyktau Facility (Item numbers are keyed to
Figures 2 and 3).
1 Probable control building 65 by 40 by 15
feet high, probably flat-roofed
2 Unidentified structure 20 by 20 feetM
3 Support building 55 by 30 by 15 feet high,
probably gable-roofed -
4 Support building 40 by 30 by 10 feet high,
probably gable-roofed
5 Support building 75 by 25 feet, probably
gable-roofed
6 Support building y 40 feet, probably
f1 at f d
r
-
oo 25X1 D
7 Unidentified structure 20 by 15 feet =
8
25X1 D
Support building 35 by 20 feet, roof con-
figuration undetermined -
25X1 D
NPIC K-1988 (6/e6)
FIGURE 3. LAYOUT OF THE WESTERN LOOP ROAD OF THE SASYKTAU MISSILE-LAUNCH FACILITY AND PART OF THE
MOSCOW SAM SITE E24-1.
 Approved For Relearofp1ffe@l~:RAMrF8T04759A001300010008-5
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Control System Only
9 Support building 45 by 20 by 10 feet, prob-
25X1 D ably gable-roofed _
10 Support building 25 by 20 feet, roof con-
25X1 D figuration undetermined
11 Two parallel linear scars approximately
25X1 D 150 feet in length, 50 feet apart -
12 Support building 45 by 25 feet, roof con-
figuration undetermined
13 Unidentified structure approximately 25
by 20 feet
14 Probable rive- rough building 60 by 50
25X1 D by 20 feet high, flat-roofed The
building is situated on a hardstand ap-
proximately 175 by 50 feet.
15 Support building 35 by 25 by 10 feet high,
probably gable-roofed
16 Support building 30 by 20 feet, probably
gable-roofed (-
17 Support building 85 by 40 by 15 feet high,
TCS-80739/65
probably flat-roofed with an unidentified
object positioned on the roof
18 Unidentified structure 25 by 15 feet
The mensural data and configuration of the
Sasyktau Facility revealed some similarities to
a segment of the SA-1 SAM sites which are
deployed in the Moscow area. Mensural data
for both Sasyktau and Moscow SAM Site E24-1,
which was selected for comparison, revealed
that separation of launch positions at Sasyktau,
feet, was identical to the average
launch position separation of -feet 25X1 D
at Site E24-1 (Figures 3 and 4). Figure 3,
which portrays a segment of the launch area of
Site E24-1 and the Sasyktau Facility with di-
mensions, shows that the control building at
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Approved For Release 50 109.(01 - ~l f-~16ffT04759A001300010001 '5tro1 System Only
 Approved For Release 2019&E Ri[~1DRJ'f4759A001300010008-5
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Control System Only
this facility is in the same relative location
as the control bunkers of the SA-1 SAM sites
at Moscow. Another dimensional similarity
exists between the control building, 65 by 40
feet, at Sasyktau and the bunkers at Site E24-1,
which have average dimensions of 60 by 35
feet.
These similarities would indicate that the
Soviets have constructed a facility that is pat-
terned after a segment of an SA-1 launch area
and that the construction of the facility began in
25X1 D the period, some
11 years after the initial deployment of .SA-1
SAM sites in the Moscow area. After having
ascertained that the facility does resemble a
segment of an SA-1 SAM site, the primary
orientation of the 3 launch positions based
on the east-west access road was computed to
25X1 D be Missiles fired along this
azimuth would pass approximately 10 nm north
of the Kordon SAM Training Center and would
have traveled a distance of approximately 56 nm.
A continuation of the missile beyond this point
25X1 D along the -orientation would place it
approximately 30 nm south of the facilities of
the Kapustin Yar/Vladimirovka Missile Test
Center (KY/VMTC) at a distance of approxi-
TCS-80739/65
mately 135 nm. A secondary azimuth based on
the orientation of a line connecting the 3 launch
positions was computed as being -
Missiles fired along this azimuth would inter-
sect most of the surface-to-surface missile
(SSM) trajectories from the KY/VMTC at a
point approximately 125 nm from KY/VMTC
at a distance approximately 50 nm north of
Sasyktau. 1/ At this intersection, most of the
SSMs from KY/VMTC are ascending and have
not yet reached their apogees. As of
no electronic facilities had been identified at
Sasyktau, which would presumably preclude its
use for firings against SSM warheads or other
target vehicles.
The exact construction status of the facility
cannot be determined at this time. There has
been no increase in the components of the facility
during the winter period extending from _
even though there was
indication of snow removal on the coverage of
The location of the Sasyktau Facility in an
inaccessible and isolated area and the limited
support facilities present might indicate that
the installation may be used as a sensitive
missile research and development facility.
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Approved For Release fb1 p9 C 1ff[7 TF04759A00130001001`d System Only
 Approved For ReleaTe()g015 ?R:EgAf , F f8T04759AO01300010008-5
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Control System Only
TCS-80739/65
Handle Via
TALENT-KEYHOLE
Approved For Releasf30g1/gg(0~ f -RU T04759A00130001000626rol System Only
 Approved For Release 20@fnp01cg 78T04759A001300010008-5
Approved For Release 2@fOjq/SECRff P78TO4759AO01300010008-5