RT-1 ICBM
The RT-1 was the former Soviet Unions first attempted design development of a three stage solid propellant ICBM that went through several design changes. At least two primary designs have been revealed so far before the introduction of the RT-2, SS-13, ICBM and the RT-2P, SS-14 IRBM. The late slowly evolving technology was pushed and protected by Minister Dmitry Ustinov as a hoped for replacement for the SS-11 small liquid propellant ICBM of the former USSR.
The program was started in 1958 during the middle of the, then 6th five year plan from January 1, 1956 - January 1, 1960 and would continue into the next 7th Five Year Plan January 1, 1961 - January 1, 1966. Actual official authorization for the program took place on November 20, 1959 with the first flight test taking place during the middle of the 7th five year plan on April 28, 1962 but it was not successful until March 18, 1963. A total of three missiles were successfully launched of nine missiles flight tested. Three additional flights took place in September and November 1965 with only one being successful with the revised design. However, the guidance accuracy problems continued to persist with this new clustered solid motor system. (1)
The solid propellant technology suffered many research and development failures and setbacks that were systematically overcome over time. The primary obstacles proved to be the transition from existing smaller steel cased solid motors to large diameter, solid propellant motors and the subsequent development of the filament wound solid motor technology. This technology laid the foundation for the development of both ICBM and later SLBM ballistic missile technology of the former Soviet Union and Russia today. These advances were the former USSR’s response to the US deployment of one thousand solid propellant Minuteman ICBM’s.
The technology development was led by the OKB-1 design bureau headed by the famed Designer General Academician S. P. Korolev but the actual work was directed by Academician Igor Sadovskiy from 1958 through 1965. The development of the solid propellant technology had evolved over two, five-year plans through 1965 before it was separated from the OKB-1 works.
The work on the development of the subsequent trouble plagued three stage RT-2, SS-13 and road mobile RT-2P SS-14, two upper stages of the SS-13 ICBM, is believed to have continued under academician Igor Sadovskiy at the newly formed Soyuz NPO design bureau. That work on the RT-2 had started during the 7th five-year plan on April 4, 1961 and became a spin-off from the OKB-1 design bureau in the new, 8-th Five Year Plan on January 1, 1966-January 1, 1970.(1) It was subsequently taken over by the Acad. A. D. Nadiradize OKB design bureau in 1973. The Nadiradize OKB went on to develop the three stage RT-21, SS-16, ICBM, the SS-20, an IRBM utilizing the first two stages of the SS-16, and the RT-2 PM/SS-25 and SS-29 Topol ICBM’s. Their latest development is believed to be the highly revised Topol-M, RS-24 MIRV carrying ICBM. This technology also led to the development of the Start and Start-1 solid propellant space boosters.
