Soviet liquid-fuel missiles of R & UR designation
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R-5(M) IRBM family
Rocket R-5M became the first domestic strategic rocket carrying a nuclear charge that gave start to the development of the Soviet nuclear-rocket protection shield.
The R-5M rocket is the successful successor of the German long-range rocket A-4. The rocket was used also as sounding rockets "W5-A", "W5-W" and "Vertikal".
The R-5 missile started at Korolev's OKB-1. Active phase of the R-5 development fell on 1952. A single-stage missile was designed as a 20-meter tall cylinder instead of cigar-like shape common for previous A-4-derived vehicles. For the first time, both fuel and oxidizer tanks welded of light aluminum and magnesium alloys were made as monocoque structures yielding great weight savings. The riveting was used for the assembly of the tail section made of dural and aluminum.
The tail section also carried short triangular fins with wind rudders instead of bulky A-4-derived stabilizers of the R-1 and 2. Still, resemblance to the A-4 has been retained in the propulsion unit.
The R-5M was powered by a single A-4-derived engine, developed in OKB-456 in Khimki under designation RD-103M. It used a 92-percent mix of alcohol with water as a fuel and liquid oxygen as an oxidizer and yielded trust of 43.85 tons. Comparing with the A-4 engine, RD-103M featured a number of improvements including better cooling system for the combustion chamber and introduction of automated trust control. Solid catalizator was used for decay of hydrogen peroxide in the gas generator, which provided hot gas to drive the turbopump on the propellant line. The centrifugal pump was used to drive the hydrogen peroxide into the gas generator. Elastic fuel lines were also used for the first time.
The R-5M flight control system included aerodynamic and gas rudders, which prevented the rocket from rolling about its main axis. After the engine cutoff, the stabilization would be still maintained using the oxygen gas which during the active flight served for pressurization of the oxidizer tank. To achieve this, the pressurization gas was directed into the system of nozzles placed in the conical section, connecting the warhead with the rest of the rocket body.
Weighing 28,570 kg at launch, the R-5M was able to reach a 1,200-km distance becoming first "strategic" missile in the Soviet arsenal.
The R-5M was exported as weapon to China and was here named DF-2 and DF-2A.
Development of a nuclear warhead that could be delivered by the missile began in 1964. In late 1966, a series of flight tests using the DF-2 missile integrated with a dummy warhead were carried out to test the reliability of the warhead design. On 27 October 1966, a specially modified Dongfeng 2A missile carrying a nuclear warhead successfully detonated in the Lop Nor nuclear test site.
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R-12 IRBM
The R-12 was the first operationally effective intermediate range ballistic missile, the first Soviet missile deployed with a thermonuclear warhead, and the first mass-produced missile in history. 2,300 of the storable propellant rockets were built and deployed in both mobile and silo-based versions for thirty years, from March 1959 to June 1989.
A light orbital launch vehicle, the 11K63 Kosmos-2, was developed from the R-12. This launcher used a new second stage to reach orbital velocity.
Special launches of this Kosmos-2 were made to test subscale versions of the Raketoplan and BOR series of spaceplanes.
Special launches of R-12's were used for sounding missions (Vertikal).
According to international contract the R-12 missiles were withdrawn from service in June 1989 and destroyed. The final R-12 was destroyed on 23 May 1990.
However the R-12 story was not quite over. It was reported in January 1998 that the R-12 design had been sold to Iran.
The development of the R-12 was begun in 1955, and was carried out by Yangel's OKB-586. The first tests were conducted at the test site in Kapustin Yar between 1957 and 1958.
In the first time was planned to use a RD-211 engine for the R-12. Engine designer Glushko had designed the RD-211 with four combustion chamber / nozzle assemblies. Each was double the thrust of the V-2-based RD-100 engine, but all four were fed by common turbopumps. Initial tests of the new-design cylindrical combustion chamber showed good results. The RD-211 was underpowered however. So the design was abandoned. It was developed a new design of the RD-211 with 22% more thrust. This design resulted in the RD-214 engine. The development of the RD-214 began in 1955.
Yangel was also committed to providing the R-12 with the Soviet Union's first autonomous inertial navigation system. The inertial navigation system planned for the R-12 was tested on R-5M missiles before the R-12 began its flight tests.
Mass production was undertaken beginning in 1958. Production finally was completed at Perm in 1967, with 2,300 of the missile being built.
Compared to earlier missiles the R-12 differed in having the 430 kg inertial guidance system located in the intertank section between the fuel and oxidiser tanks. The oxidiser was AK-275H (27.5% N2O4 and 72.5% Nitric Acid) and the fuel TM-185 in two separate tanks (Polymer Distillate + Light Oil Pyrolyse). The oxidiser was pressurised by gaseous oxygen, the fuel by air. Following burn-out of the single-stage rocket, explosive bolts separated the warhead and it was ejected pneumatically from the missile.
