TEST PREPARATIONS FOR A NEW SMALL-SOLID ICBM PLESETSK ICBM LAUNCH TEST SITE 21, USSR (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90T00784R000100300007-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 1, 2011
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: July 30, 1982
• Content Type: REPORT

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(c) NATIONALPHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
Copy
Attachment to Z-15792/82
NPIC/IEG (7/82)
30 JULY 1982
TEST PREPARATIONS FOR A NEW SMALL-SOLID ICBM
PLESETSK ICBM LAUNCH TEST SITE 21, USSR
1. (S/D) SIGNIFICANCE: IDENTIFICATION OF A POSSIBLE ERECTOR AND
A POSSIBLE LAUNCH STAND AT PLESETSK ICBM LAUNCH TEST SITE (LTS)
21.
2. (S/D) REMARKS: A POSSIBLE ERECTOR. (GRAPHIC 1
INSET) WAS IN THE 48-METER FRAMEWORK STRUCTURE ON THE EAST PAD
OF LTS 21. THE ERECTOR WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 METERS LONG AND
THREE METERS WIDE AND MAY HAVE HAD A CRADLE-LIKE FRAMEWORK. ON
A POSSIBLE LAUNCH STAND (GRAPHIC 1) WAS ON A RECENTLY
CONSTRUCTED PROBABLE CONCRETE LAUNCH PAD WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK
STRUCTURE. IT WAS CENTERED ON THE LAUNCH PAD APPROXIMATELY 25
METERS FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE STRUCTURE. THE POSSIBLE LAUNCH
STAND HAS A TRUNCATED-CONE SHAPE, A TOP DIAMETER OF
APPROXIMATELY ONE METER, A BASE DIAMETER OF APPROXIMATELY THREE
METERS, AND IS APPROXIMATELY LTS 21 IS A
DUAL-PAD SOFT LAUNCH SITE THAT SUPPORTED FLIGHT TESTING OF THE
SS-X-15 AND SS-16. MODIFICATION/REFURBISHMENT OF LTS 21 FOR
THE FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM OF A NEW SMALL-SIZE, SOLID-PROPELLANT
(SMALL-SOLID) INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE (ICBM) BEGAN
IN LATE 1980. IT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED WHETHER MISSILES
TESTED FROM THIS POSSIBLE LAUNCH STAND WOULD BE LAUNCHED TO THE
KAMCHATKA IMPACT AREA OR WOULD BE LAUNCH PHASE (POP-UP) TESTS.
NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THE STRUCTURE, IT WAS NORMALLY POSITIONED
APPROXIMATELY 21 METERS FROM THE ENTRANCE. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE
J C STAND IS PROBABLY THE SAME STAND IDENTIFIED
ALTHOUGH THE LAUNCH STAND WAS PERIODICALLY SEEN
IN APRIL 1976 REVEALED THAT A POSSIBLE LAUNCH STAND AND
POSSIBLE ERECTOR WERE IN THE 48-METER FRAMEWORK STRUCTURE.
(S/D) THE 48-METER FRAMEWORK STRUCTURE WAS BUILT IN 1972 TO
CONCEAL SS-16 FLIGHT TEST ACTIVITIES. DURING THE SS-16 FLIGHT
TEST PROGRAM, 24 METERS OF THIS STRUCTURE WAS NORMALLY COVERED
BY EIGHT MOVABLE THREE-METER LONG ROOF SECTIONS WHILE THE
REMAINDER OF THE STRUCTURE WAS CANVAS-COVERED. REANALYSIS OF
LTS 2]. SINCE THE TERMINATION OF THE SS-16 FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed ana-
lytical work. Their use should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for
and must be considered valid only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
WARNING NOTICE
Intelligence Sources
and Methods Involved
SFC'RFT
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NPIC/IEG (7/82)
Copy 30 JULY 1982
EXTENSIVE CONCEALMENT MEASURES AT LTS 21, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE
TO DETERMINE IF THIS LAUNCH STAND AND ERECTOR. WERE PRESENT
DURING THE SS-16 FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM.
(S/D) BY OCTOBER 1980, NUMEROUS CRATES/CANVAS-COVERED PIECES
OF EQUIPMENT (POE) WERE DELIVERED TO LTS 21. THE CONTENTS OF
THE CRATES AND THE POE MAY HAVE BEEN COMPONENTS USED TO
MODIFY/REFURBISH THE LAUNCH CONTROL BUNKERS. NO ACTIVITY WAS
IDENTIFIED AT THE FRAMEWORK STRUCTURE UNTIL SEPTEMBER. 1981,
WHEN THE CANVAS WAS REMOVED FROM THE STRUCTURE. ALTHOUGH THE
POSSIBLE ERECTOR WAS NOT PRESENT, THE POSSIBLE LAUNCH STAND
REMAINED IN THE STRUCTURE AFTER THE CANVAS WAS REMOVED. THE
ERECTOR WAS FIRST OBSERVED AT LTS 21 IN 1982 WHEN IT
WAS IN FRONT OF THE LAUNCH STAND IN THE OPEN SECTION OF THE
STRUCTURE. CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW PROBABLE CONCRETE LAUNCH
PAD BEGAN DURING EARLY JUNE AND WAS COMPLETED
WHILE THE CONCRETE LAUNCH PAD WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE
LAUNCH STAND WAS NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE STRUCTURE.
THE LAUNCH STAND WAS MOVED TO THE CENTER OF THE LAUNCH
PAD. IN ADDITION, THREE OF THE EIGHT ROOF SECTIONS WERE
REMOVED FROM THE REAR OF THE STRUCTURE LEAVING A 15-METER
COVERED SECTION.
3. (S)
COORDINATES 62-58-23N 041-24-08E.
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed ana-
lytical work. Their use should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for
and must be considered valid only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
WARNING NOTICE
Intelligence Sources
and Methods Involved
SECRET
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/02 : CIA-RDP90T00784R000100300007-5