Tsyklon LV Credit - © Mark Wade

Minimal modification of the R-36 ICBM used in replacement of Chelomei's cancelled UR-200 booster for initial launches of the IS ASAT and US naval radarsat. Development was authorized in late 1965 and first launch was made before the end of 1967. It flew only eight times before being replaced by the definitive Tsyklon-2 space launch vehicle.

On 16 March and 1 August 1961 the Central Committee and Politburo approved development of Chelomei’s UR-200 (8K81) universal rocket. The UR-200 was to orbit Chelomei’s IS (Istrebitel Sputnik) ASAT; the US (Upravlenniye Sputnik) nuclear-powered naval intelligence satellite; and the Raketoplan combat re-entry vehicle. Trial flights of the missile began on 4 November 1963.

On October 13, 1964, Khrushchev was ousted from power. The new leadership, under Brezhnev, was adverse to all projects Khrushchev had supported. These included those of Chelomei. An expert commission under M V Keldysh was directed to examine all of Chelomei’s projects and make recommendations as to which should be cancelled. Keldysh found that Yangel’s R-36 rocket was superior to Chelomei’s UR-200 and that the Raketoplan was technically overly ambitious. The UR-200 and Raketoplan were accordingly cancelled, while the IS and US satellites were redesigned for launch by the R-36.

A government decree of 24 August 1965 formalised the decision and the Yangel bureau began design work in 1966. Required modifications to the R-36 were minimal; the IS and US Raketoplan-derived payloads had their own engines for insertion into final orbit. The Tsyklon 11K67 first test version was an adaptation of the 8K67 (SS-9 Mod 1) two stage ICBM and flew only briefly (1967 to 1968). It was quickly replaced by the definitive 11K69 Tsyklon 2 launch vehicle. The military project manager was L A Dolnikov. The two-stage vehicle stages were designated 8S671 and 8S672.

Manufacturer: Yuzhnoye. Launches: 8. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 87.50%. First Launch Date: 1967-10-27. Last Launch Date: 1969-01-25. Launch data is: complete. LEO Payload: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 52.00 degrees. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). Associated Spacecraft: IS-A, IS-P, US-A. Liftoff Thrust: 2,366.000 kN (531,897 lbf). Total Mass: 182,000 kg (401,000 lb). Core Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Total Length: 39.70 m (130.20 ft).

1965 August 24 - Launch Vehicle: R-36-O, Tsyklon, Tsyklon 2, UR-200.

• Development of R-36-O and Tsyklon launch vehicles authorised Nation: USSR. Spacecraft: IS-A, US-A, OGCh. Decree 'On Creation of an R-36 Based Carrier Rocket for Launching the IS and US KA--start of work on an R-36-based launch vehicle for the IS and US programs' was issued. After Khrushchev was ousted from power, Chelomei's projects were examined by an expert commission under M V Keldysh. It was found that Yangel’s R-36 rocket was superior to Chelomei’s UR-200. The UR-200 was cancelled; the IS and US satellites would be launched by the R-36 11K67. The Tsyklon 2 definitive operational version replaced the 11K67 launch vehicle from 1969.References: 474.

• Cosmos 185 Nation: USSR. Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Class: Military. Type: ASAT. Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 518 km (321 mi). Apogee: 887 km (551 mi). Inclination: 64.20 deg. Period: 98.80 min. COSPAR: 1967-104A. USAF Sat Cat: 3013. Decay Date: 1969-01-14. First test of Istrebitel Sputnik. Only tested engine; no target launched. First launch of Tsykon launch vehicle. References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 272.

• Cosmos 198 Nation: USSR. Program: RORSAT. Payload: US-A no. 1. Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval Radarsat. Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 907 km (563 mi). Apogee: 927 km (576 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 103.40 min. COSPAR: 1967-127B. USAF Sat Cat: 3082. Decay Date: 1968-01-21. Prototype RORSAT hardware using chemical batteries in place of BES-5 nuclear reactor. First satellite to be boosted to 900 km storage orbit. References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 290.

• Cosmos 209 Nation: USSR. Program: RORSAT. Payload: US-A no. 2. Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval Radarsat. Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: MO SSSR. Perigee: 876 km (544 mi). Apogee: 927 km (576 mi). Inclination: 65.30 deg. Period: 103.00 min. COSPAR: 1968-023C. USAF Sat Cat: 3162. Decay Date: 1968-04-10. RORSAT hardware, representative of production hardware, but using chemical batteries in place of BES-5 nuclear reactor. References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 290.

• Cosmos 217 Nation: USSR. Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Class: Military. Type: ASAT Target. Spacecraft: IS-P. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 140 km (80 mi). Apogee: 179 km (111 mi). Inclination: 62.30 deg. Period: 87.70 min. COSPAR: 1968-036A. USAF Sat Cat: 3216. Decay Date: 1968-04-26. Unsuccessful launch of ASAT target. Satellite did not separate from last rocket stage. Planned launch of interceptor cancelled. References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 272.

• Cosmos 248 Nation: USSR. Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Class: Military. Type: ASAT Target. Spacecraft: IS-P. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 475 km (295 mi). Apogee: 543 km (337 mi). Inclination: 62.30 deg. Period: 94.80 min. COSPAR: 1968-090A. USAF Sat Cat: 3503. Decay Date: 1980-02-26. ASAT target. Intercepted repeatedly by Cosmos 249 on 20 October; destroyed by Cosmos 252 on 1 November. References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 272.

• Cosmos 249 Nation: USSR. Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Class: Military. Type: ASAT. Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 498 km (309 mi). Apogee: 2,075 km (1,289 mi). Inclination: 62.30 deg. Period: 111.30 min. COSPAR: 1968-091A. USAF Sat Cat: 3504. Decay Date: 1968-10-20. ASAT interceptor. Intercepted Cosmos 248 target on second orbit. Repeatedly approached Cosmos 248, verifying primary and reserve homing and guidance systems. Destroyed itself in test of on-board destruct system. Counted as a failure by Western observers because that target was not destroyed; but this was not an objective of the test. Left 109 fragments in orbit, of which 54 were still in orbit in 1996.References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 272.

• Cosmos 252 Nation: USSR. Mass: 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Class: Military. Type: ASAT. Spacecraft: IS-A. Agency: PKO. Perigee: 535 km (332 mi). Apogee: 2,104 km (1,307 mi). Inclination: 62.30 deg. Period: 112.00 min. COSPAR: 1968-097A. USAF Sat Cat: 3530. Decay Date: 1968-11-01. ASAT interceptor. Intercepted and destroyed Cosmos 248 target satellite within one day of launch. Left 139 fragments in orbit, the largest of any ASAT test. References: 1, 2, 5, 6, 272.

• US-A Mass Model Nation: USSR. Program: RORSAT. Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Class: Surveillance. Type: Naval Radarsat. Spacecraft: US-A. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). COSPAR: F690125A. Decay Date: 1969-01-24. RORSAT hardware, representative of production hardware, but using chemical batteries in place of BES-5 nuclear reactor. References: 42, 290.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Isakowitz, Steven J,, International Reference to Space Launch Systems Second Edition, AIAA, Washington DC, 1991 (succeeded by 2000 edition). ISBN: 1563473534. Superseded by the later editions. More at amazon.com...

• Wilson, Andrew, editor,, Jane's/Interavia Space Directory, Jane's Information Group, Coulsdon, Surrey, 1992 et al. ISBN: 0710618107. The most comprehensive source of information for current space projects. Too expensive for human beings and most libraries. More at amazon.com...