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IS-A
Part of Kosmoplan
Istrebitel Sputnik
Istrebitel Sputnik
IS-A Antisatellite satellite. As far as is known, follow-on models and the R-36-launched targets had a similar appearance.
Credit: © Mark Wade
Russian military anti-satellite system. First operational ASAT. Tested in 1967-1971 and deployed through the late 1970's. Design as revised by Yangel and Korolev from Chelomei's original. ASAT satellite built by TsNII Kometa, Russia. Launched 1976 - 1982.

AKA: 4Ya11;I2P;IS. Status: Operational 1967. First Launch: 1967-10-27. Last Launch: 1982-06-18. Number: 22 . Gross mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb).

Launch vehicle R-36. Modernized ASAT may have been designated US-M or US-AM and was tested in 1976-1978 and operational through the late 1980's.

The USA began the space weapons race with their first anti-satellite (ASAT) projects at the end of the 1950's. These limited-budget efforts were intended not to create just an anti-satellite system, but eventually to defend the entire North American continent from attack from space. Such efforts culminated in the Strategic Defense Initiative of the 1980's. On 19 June 1959 the first trial of the Bold Orion rocket, air-launched from a B-47, attempted to destroy the satellite Explorer 4, but missed it by six kilometers. Subsequent launches were not noticeably more effective. The equivalent Navy projects Caleb, Hi-Hoe were not any more effective, and further work on an air-launched ASAT was abandoned until the 1970's.

The Soviet Union began work on its anti-satellite system at the beginning of the 1960's. By then it had become clear that not only rockets from space presented a threat to the nation's security. On-orbit intelligence, communications, navigation, and meteorological satellites of the enemy would have to be destroyed at the beginning of military operations.

A wide range of alternative projects were considered before a single approach was selected. The fundamental task was for the system to enter an orbit intercepting or coinciding with the enemy spacecraft, and then to destroy it. To meet this objective the following proposals were made:

The chosen approach, the single-launch kamikaze, offered the earliest possible deployment date while being the cheapest to develop. As proposed by Vladimir Chelomei's OKB-52, this was designated the IS (IS, 'Istrebitel Sputnik', fighter satellite). The orbital parameters of the target satellite would already be known before launch, and the interceptor would be pre-programmed with those parameters. After being placed into an initial parking orbit by the launch vehicle, the interceptor's engine would make a number of maneuvers to intercept with the target, and at the appropriate moment, blow itself up together with the target. The interception was intended to take place on the first to third orbit, although it would be possible to make repeated attempts in case the target was missed.

The Istrebitel Sputnik was approximately spherical in form and had a total mass of 1,400 kg. It consisted of two sections: the main section, which contained the guidance and targeting, computational and optical homing systems, and the 300 kg explosive charge; and the engine section. The body of the interceptor was designed so that after the explosion it would fragment into 12 groups of shrapnel. The specified radius of guaranteed target destruction was 1 km. However in a head-on intercept, only 400 m radius was guaranteed, while in a chase intercept, a 2 km radius of destruction could be achieved. The engine was capable of numerous quick starts and restarts, with a total operating time of 300 seconds.

During the course of its operational life the spacecraft was considerably modernized, and beginning in 1976 what could be considered the 'second generation' of ASAT's was launched.

Development work on the Istrebitel Sputnik began in 1961 in the construction bureau of V N Chelomei. It was intended that Chelomei would provide not only the satellite but the UR-200 launch vehicle as well. However development of the UR-200 was slower than expected, and it was decided to launch test versions of the satellite on S P Korolev's R-7 rocket. These launches received the official designation 'Polyot' ('Flight'). The first was launched on 1 November 1963. Two test trials of the Polyot were successfully completed, and it was planned that a longer series of tests would be carried out. However in October 1964 Khrushchev was ousted from power, and Chelomei lost his main patron in the hierarchy. Further work on the Istrebitel Sputnik was to be transferred to Korolev's OKB, the UR-200 rocket was cancelled, and M K Yangel's R-36 ICBM was selected as the launch vehicle to replace it. These machinations resulted in a four year delay before tests of the system were resumed, and a five year delay in the operational date. The IS-A that was finally flown in the first test series in 1968-1972 (variously attributed to the Lavochkin, Chelomei and Yangel OKB's) was substantially different from the original Chelomei design. Two different targets were used in the tests. At first an R-36-launched IS-P target was used (evidently a derivative of the ASAT itself). This was replaced in 1971 by the lighter, cheaper DS-P1-M target designed by Yangel and launched by the smaller Kosmos 11K65M launch vehicle. In 1972 the USSR and USA signed the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. In connection with this the trials of the Istrebitel Sputnik were discontinued, although the system was adopted as armament of the Red Army. See the chronology below for a flight-by-flight account of the test series.

By 1976 modifications of the design resulted in a substantially improved IS-A (perhaps designated IS-M). This model was put through a new series of trial flights, which continued through 1978. Some sources state that a new target was used for these tests (others state that the Yangel DS-P1-M continued in use throughout the period; in any case it was still a smaller satellite launched by the Kosmos launch vehicle) . These qualified the new on-board systems, including new homing systems, and new target intercept trajectories. In 1981-1982 there were some additional test flights to test the functioning of the systems after long-term storage (these initially had very disappointing results). There were no further tests after 1982 and eventually the system was retired as technically obsolete. There were some reports that an improved version, the IS-MU, was put into operation without flight tests. It was also reliably reported that operationally the R-36-launched ASAT was replaced by another, still classified system, probably air-launched (in the 1990's satellite launch vehicles air-launched from MiG-31 fighters and Tu-160 bombers have been offered commercially; these were probably based on secret ASAT air-launched missiles).

One problem in testing the system was that it inevitably created a large amount of space debris after exploding, which presented a hazard to space operations. Tests of variations in the explosive charge and the frangibility of the spaceframe resulted in from 27 to 139 fragments being left in orbit. Once the optimum fragmentation pattern was determined, later tests did not ignite the charge in order to prevent the creation of additional space debris. It was interesting to compare the test results as now known with the results as guessed by Western observers. It was clear that some deliberate deception was going on - after successful tests the ASAT would sometimes be destroyed by its self-destruct system or deorbited, and such tests were counted as failures by Western observers.

Actual Istrebitel Sputnik Test Results vs Earlier Western Intelligence Assessment


More at: IS-A.

Family: anti-satellite. Country: Russia. Engines: Stepanov IS/US 16 kgf. Launch Vehicles: Titan, Tsiklon, Tsiklon-2, Tsiklon-2A, Titan II SLV. Launch Sites: Vandenberg, Baikonur, Baikonur LC90/19, Baikonur LC90/20. Agency: PKO, Chelomei bureau, BMDO. Bibliography: 102, 2, 272, 279, 474, 6, 6600, 12686, 12687, 12688.
Photo Gallery

ASAT Launch ComplexASAT Launch Complex
ASAT Launch Complex at Baikonur - US Department of Defense drawing


ASAT IS-AASAT IS-A
Credit: Videokosmos


Asat hitAsat hit
First operational ASAT, shown in a Soviet film attacking a US KH-4 Corona reconnaissance satellite. Tested in 1967-1971 and deployed through the late 1970's. Design as revised by Yangel and Korolev from Chelomei's original. Launch vehicle R-36.
Credit: Videokosmos


ASAT IS-AASAT IS-A
Credit: Videokosmos


IS MUIS MU
Credit: Manufacturer Image


IS AttackIS Attack


IS InterceptIS Intercept


IS SeparationIS Separation


IS DeploymentIS Deployment


IS DeploymentIS Deployment


IS St 1 SeparationIS St 1 Separation


IS TestIS Test


IS TestIS Test


IS Upper StageIS Upper Stage


IS Vernier BurnIS Vernier Burn


IS-AIS-A
Credit: Manufacturer Image



1960 June 23 - . Launch Vehicle: UR-200.
1961 March 16 - . Launch Vehicle: UR-200.
1962 July - . Launch Vehicle: UR-200.
1964 October 13 - .
1965 August 24 - .
1967 March 30 - .
1967 July 1 - . LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1967 October 27 - . 02:21 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2A.
1968 October 20 - . 04:02 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/20. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2A.
1968 November 1 - . 00:27 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/20. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2A.
1969 December 23 - . 09:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/20. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1970 October 23 - . 04:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/20. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1970 October 30 - . 02:36 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/20. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1971 February 25 - . 11:11 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/20. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1971 April 4 - . 14:27 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/20. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1971 December 3 - . 13:19 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/20. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1976 February 16 - . 08:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1976 April 13 - . 17:16 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1976 July 21 - . 15:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1976 December 27 - . 12:05 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1977 May 23 - . 12:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1977 June 17 - . 07:23 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1977 October 26 - . 05:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1977 December 21 - . 10:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1978 May 19 - . 00:21 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1980 April 18 - . 00:51 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1981 February 2 - . 02:19 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1981 March 14 - . 16:55 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.
1982 June 18 - . 11:04 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC90/19. Launch Pad: LC90/pad?. LV Family: R-36. Launch Vehicle: Tsiklon-2.

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