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Home | Update | LATEST ISSUE | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 4/98 RUSSIAS SECRET ALMAS PROJECT by Gerhard Kowalski At the beginning of the sixties and immediately after the first space flights, the former Soviet Union and the USA started thinking about the use of space flight technology for military purposes. Facing an escalation of the East-West confrontation, scenarios for automated and also manned fighting systems were considered. In those days, the USA initiated the MOL program (Manned Orbiting Laboratory). The main purpose of these MOL stations was optical reconnaissance for which the Key Hole camera system (KH 10) was developed. Two astronauts were to work for about three months in a modified Gemini-capsule (Gemini B). 17 officers of the US Air Force had already started the training program, when the MOL was abandoned in favour of the Space Shuttle Program in 1969. Launched instead was "Big Bird", an automatic version of the laboratory, which was mainly supported by the CIA. At the same time, the Soviets were developing similar systems. One of the projects out of Sergej Koroljow's construction office OKB-1 initially looked at the deployment of modified Wostok and Wosschod spacecraft for reconnaissance purposes. Most advanced was a program involved with the construction of a military research complex based on the Sojus capsule. Its task involved visual and photographic reconnaissance as well as the inspection of earth satellites, and it was furthermore designed to defeat possible hostile attacks. The complex, a further development of project Sewer, was a manned, manoeuvrable spacecraft with the construction name 7K. Once in orbit, the approach and docking of spacecraft as well as the controlled descent of a landing apparatus were to be explored. The complex Sojus was going to consist of the two-seater Sojus spacecraft, which inherited the name K7 from Sewer, the additional block 9K and the refuelling spacecraft 11K. However, even then it was difficult to make funding available for such a sophisticated project. In order to secure the support of the "rich" defence ministry, Koroljow suggested the construction of a spacecraft to intercept, on the basis of Sojus-R, which was a spacecraft used for interception like the 7K (perechwatschik), and a reconnaissance craft, the Sojus-R (raswerschik). The main designer, however, was not concerned with these "by-products". That is why he passed these military projects on to his No. 3 branch in what was then Kuibyschew (now Samara), while he concentrated on the manned spacecraft 7K. His deputy Dimitri Koslow, who was the branch leader, was supposed to build a small orbital station with equipment for photo and radio reconnaissance within the overall Sojus-R project. The only remaining component of 7K was its equipment section. The shuttle spacecraft 7K-TK (Transportnyj korabl) for the two man crew was equipped with systems for approach, docking and entering the station via an inner hatch. Sojus-R finally became part of the "Five Year Plan of Reconnaissance in the Cosmos" following acceptance by the Defence Ministry in 1964. This program also comprised the Zenit and Morje satellites and the orbital plane Spiral. However, Koslow did not get around to putting this program into practise, the reason being that Wladimir Tschelomej, the head of the construction office OKB-52 in Reutow near Moscow, suggested the building of a manned orbital station for a three-man crew, the Almas (diamond). It was twice as heavy as Sojus-R and offered more versatility. At the beginning of 1966, the Ministry of Defence made a decision in favour of Tschelomej. Since work on Almas was only in its first stages, it was suggested to Koslow that a small military research spacecraft should be developed which was supposed to be started in 1967. The project was named 7K-WI (wojenno-issledowatelskij), and later became known as Swesda (Star). Initially the 7K-WI did not differ substantially from the prototype 7K-OK (orbitalnyj korabl). It consisted of three sections, which were configured in the same manner as those in the Sojus crafts. At the bottom, a section with equipment, the engine, the tanks and relevant systems, in the middle the landing gear for the cosmonauts' return to earth and at the top the orbital section with equipment for military "research". However, the craft was redesigned soon because there were grave shortcomings at the beginning of the test program. The configuration of the sections was changed. The new spacecraft weighed 6,5 tons. In order to fend off "inspection" and intercepting spacecraft, a small quick fire canon was installed in the landing gear. Two thermo-nuclear generators served as an energy source. To launch this rocket the Sojus carrier rocket was modified. The new rocket was named Sojus-M (modifikazija). Swesda's maiden flight was scheduled for 1968 and the craft was to be armed a year later. In the meantime a group of cosmonauts was prepared for their deployment on the 7K-WI in "Star City" near Moscow. The development of this military spacecraft was successful. However, Koslow's immediate superior started to interfere. Wassili Mischin was head designer of the central construction office for experimental mechanical engineering (ZKBEM). Shortly after Koroljow's death in 1966, OKB-1 was renamed ZKBEM. Mischin did not mind the 7K-WI, as long as it was a copy of Sojus. When Koslow's proved to be working on a new and considerably better spacecraft, his attitude changed. In order to rid himself of his competitor, Mischin suggested a new project, namely the orbital research station (OIS) Sojus-WI. This station was to consist of the orbital block OB-WI and the supply spacecraft 7K-S (snabshenije). The latter was to be developed based on the 7K-OK Sojus, which was already flying. Furthermore, it was suggested that construction should begin on a modified 7K-S for automatic flights within the bounds of military programs: a 7K-S-I for short-term research and a 7K-S-II for long term flights. The new craft was designed to carry heavy loads, the 7K-SG, was going to supply the OIS. Later the 7K-SG became the transporter Progress, which nowadays supplies the orbital laboratory MIR. Although the military protested, work on Swesda came to a halt. Neither did the Sojus-WI project flourish, because the ZKBEM was fully occupied with the moon projects L-1, L-3 and N-1 as well as with Sojus. Koslow did not really display an interest in the new manned spacecraft. He was working on the modernisation of Zenit, used for photographic reconnaissance and the development of the Jantar Satellites, (c.p. FLUG REVUE 1/1998). The decision for the orbital station DOS-7K (dolgowremennaja orbitalnaja stanzija), enabling cosmonauts to stay in space for long periods, meant the end of the Sojus-WI-Program. In the meantime Tschelomej had continued to work on Almas. It was originally planned to launch the manned orbital station OPS together with the attached return module WA. Since the combined weight was too big, it was decided to launch both craft separately into orbit. The return module was modified to serve as a supply spacecraft, offering room for three cosmonauts, supplies and eight return vehicles. To begin with, the crew were going to be taken by Sojus carrier to the space station, while the heavy proton rockets were intended for launching the OPS and the TKS. The OPS weighed 18,9 tons at launch. It was approx. 16 meters long, its maximum diameter measured 4,1 meters, and the living section had a volume of 47 cubic meters. The station had a return capsule, in which a maximum load of 100kg could be taken back to earth. The photographic material was already developed on board the spacecraft. The most interesting shots were sent to earth via a closed TV channel, the others were forwarded in the return capsule. As a defence against American interceptor satellites or space tugs, the station was equipped with a 32-mm cannon, which was tried and tested. The transport spacecraft TKS weighed 20 tons, was 13 meters long and had a loading capacity of 43,8 meters cubed. It consisted of a function and freight block FGB with appropriate systems and a return apparatus (WA). The latter was originally intended for the return of loads and research materials and for the evacuation of cosmonauts in an emergency. Later it did not seem necessary, and it was incorporated into the TKS. WA served as cabin during launch and landing for a maximum of three cosmonauts. It was cone shaped, had a height of 3,7 meters and a diameter of 2,79 meters. It weighed 7,3 tons. At the beginning of 1970 two flight and eight test models of the OPS were built and equipped by Mischin's construction office. On 3 April 1973 the first Almas Station was launched into orbit under the name Saljut-2. Because of a leak and a failure of the telemetric system it could not be manned. Almas 2 was launched on 25 June 1974. It was known as Saljut-3. On 4 June the first crew entered the station via Sojus-14, intending to work there for 15 days. On board were Commander Popowitsch and on-board engineer Artjuchin. The second crew, consisting of Gennadi Sarafanow and Lew Djomin, reached the station on 27 August 1974. They were unable to enter, because the Igla system for approaching and docking failed. Since work on Igla dragged on, the station was never manned again and burnt out on 24 January 1975. The return capsule managed to return films and other materials to earth on 23 September 1974. Almas-3, alias Saljut-5, was started on 22 June 1976. Boris Wolynow and Witali Sholibow followed on 6 July with Sojus-21. The first crew was supposed to stay for two months on the station. However, they had to leave early, on 24 August, because Sholobow fell ill. On 24 October Wjatscheslaw Sudow and Waleri Roshdestwenski were to follow. There was, however, another fault with the docking system and the mission was abandoned. The two cosmonauts landed in an iced over lake and could only be recovered hours later in a dramatic rescue. On 7 February 1977 Viktor Gorbatko anf Juri Glaskow flew to the station with Sojus-24. Their mission ended successfully on 25 February. A day later another fully automatic return capsule landed. In contained espionage material. Since the Soviets had no transporters left, automatic capsules were used from then on. After 412 days in orbit Almas-3 was abandoned on 8 August. Much to everyone's surprise, the Almas-Program was called off on 19 December 1981 following a decree by the Russian Government. The completed stations were mothballed. One is still puzzled as to why this decision was made. The predominant opinion among experts is that it resulted from squabbles among staff. One of the reasons was that Nikita Chruschtschow's son Sergej worked under Tschelmoej. He in turn had the chance to turn directly to Chruschtschow. This happened behind Dimitri Ustinow's back, who, in the ZK-Secretary, was in charge of the weapons industry. Ustinow, who in 1976 moved up into the KP Polit Bureau and became Defence Secretary, is said to have later taken revenge on Tschelmomej for the wheeling and dealing that had taken place. However, in 1986 Tschelomej's successor, Gerbert Jefremow, managed to convince the leaders in Moscow to employ the preserved Almas as automatic stations for reconnaissance over the oceans. The first launch attempt failed and the carrier exploded on the launching pad. The second launch on 25 July 1991 was successful, and for two whole years the Almas-0 station supplied pictures with a resolution of 25 meters, independent of weather conditions. It operated under the code name Kosmos-1870. On 31 March 1991, Almas-1 was the first Almas station that was launched under its real name. However, the secrecy over the Saljut program, which had gone on for years, did not end there. Still, bit by bit the most important details of the top secret Almas project, which after all monopolised three of the seven Saljut stations, were brought to light. Almas still exists today. Elements of this project are found in MIR and in the future International Space Station. From page 42 of FLUG REVUE 4/98 Home | Update | LATEST ISSUE | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 4/98 Copyright 1998 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved. Last updated March 6, 1998 FLUG REVUE, Ubierstr. 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany