MOSCOW. April 9 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia is planning to launch Strela light carrier rockets from the Svobodny cosmodrome in the Far East, the press service of the Russian Space Troops said on Wednesday.
"The Strela light conversion carrier rocket was designed on the basis of the RS-18B intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Mashinostroyeniye research and production association. These rockets are planned for launching by Space Troops crews from the Svobodny cosmodrome," a press service official told Interfax-Military News Agency.
Under a conversion program, the Khrunichev space center has transformed the RS-18B ICBM into the Rokot light carrier rocket. These rockets are launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region.
According to the press service, the RS-18B is a derivative of the modernized UR-100N missile, which was test-launched for the first time from the Baikonur cosmodrome on April 9, 1973. The tests were completed in October 1975, and the missile was commissioned by the Soviet Armed Forces on December 30, 1975. After operational development from 1977 to 1979, the upgraded missile was named RS-18. It passed tests successfully and entered the inventory of the Strategic Missile Forces.
By 1985, these varieties were replaced with the RD-18B, the last missile of the RS-18 family (also known as SS-19 Stilletto). The new asset with improved specifications and a separating warhead was made by the Khrunichev machine-building plant (now Mashinostroyeniye) under the supervision of chief constructor Gerbert Yefremov.
RS-18 missile systems are on combat duty in the Tatishchevo and Kozelsk formations of the Strategic Missile Forces. Experts distinguish them for advanced reliability and capability to remain on duty after their service life expires.
According to the press service, a total of 89 ICBMs of this type have been launched, 83 successfully. Fifty launches were made during flight tests, 31 were control launches, and eight were test and combat launches.
The latest control launch was performed at the Baikonur cosmodrome on December 10, 2002, the press service said.
The RS-18 missile's range of operation exceeds 10,000km, its launch weight is 105.6t, it has two stages, a separating warhead, and liquid-cooled rocket engines (NDMG fuel and AT oxidizer).