Site No. 41 - the launch pad of the Research Test Site No. 5 of the USSR Ministry of Defense , was created for flight testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) on high-boiling fuel components. The need to develop such missiles was determined by the low tactical, technical and operational characteristics of the first Soviet R-7 ICBM created in OKB-1 under the leadership of Sergei Pavlovich Korolev . On May 13, 1959, by a special decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the SM , the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (Chief Designer M.K. Yangel ) was instructed to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile based on high-boiling fuel components , which received the designation R-16 and index - 8K64 . Along with 41 sites, sites No. 42, technical and No. 43, were built for military personnel and industry representatives.
| Site number 41 | |
|---|---|
 Memorial to military and civilian testers killed at the 41st site of the Baikonur Cosmodrome | |
| Location |  Baikonur |
| Coordinates | |
| Designation | pl. Number 41 |
| Operated by |  |
| Launchers | two |
| The history of launches with PU number 41 | |
| Status | not used |
| Start | 0 |
| First start | October 24, 1960 (did not take place) |
| Rocket type | R-16 |
Content
Site Construction
In the second half of 1959, construction work began on the construction of the fortieth sites [1] . The construction of the launch pad for the R-16 ICBM , consisting of two starts, was assigned to E.I. Nikolaev and R.N. Artemyev, the technical site to M.N. Malkov, and the senior foreman of 130 UIR Major N.F. Trubitsin. His assistant was a young officer V.I. Rudik. The many-thousand collective of military builders and civil subcontracting organizations, the UPR Durova G.D. worked day and night with full dedication of forces. The first finished premises and facilities appeared at the launch and technical sites. They began to mount equipment. In April 1960, the construction of roads began. In May, opportunities appeared to relocate some of the soldiers in the capital stone barracks; hostels were ready for both building officers and customers. The construction and landfill management did everything to make life easier for a large mass of people. In August, construction work at sites 41, 42, 43 was completed. By October 17, 1960, work was completed on the installation of equipment at sites No. 41, 42 and 43.
Site Operation
On September 26, 1960, the first 8K64 rocket No. LD1-ZT arrived at the Baikonur Cosmodrome for flight tests. In September 1960, the composition of the State Commission for Flight Testing of the R-16 ICBMs was approved. The USSR Deputy Minister of Defense , Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Chief Marshal of Artillery and Missile Forces M. I. Nedelin , was appointed Chairman of the Commission, and OKB-586 Chief Designer M. K. Yangel , Technical Test Leader. Until October 20, comprehensive tests of the rocket systems in the assembly and testing complex were carried out, and in the morning of October 21, 1960 the rocket was taken out of the assembly and testing complex and delivered to the 41st site. On October 21 and 22, the head part docking, lifting and installing the rocket on the launch pad, connecting communications and testing all systems were provided for by prelaunch preparations. On October 23, the rocket was fueled with fuel components and compressed gases. By the decision of the State Commission, the launch of the rocket was scheduled for 19:00 on October 23. But the identified malfunctions forced the State Commission to postpone the launch of the rocket to October 24 . The first half of the day on October 24 eliminated the detected defects. Around 18:45, a 30-minute readiness for start-up was announced and the software distribution switch was set to zero. In this case, an unauthorized start of the second stage engine occurred. The fiery stream destroyed the tanks of the oxidizer and the fuel of the first stage. Avalanche-like burning lasted about 20 seconds, after which the remains of the units and structures burned out for another two hours. As a result of the disaster, site No. 41 was completely destroyed. Killed 78 people and 42 people received burns and injuries. In October 1998, at the initiative of the commander of military unit 44275 Tomchuk V.R. [2] A memorial to fallen testers was erected at the 41 site by officers of the 1st center of the Baikonur Cosmodrome [3] .
Literature
- Missiles and people - B. Ye. Chertok , M .: "Engineering" , 1999, - ISBN 5-217-02942-0 ;
- “Baikonur. Korolev. Yangel. ”- M. I. Kuznetsky, Voronezh : IEF "Voronezh", 1997, ISBN 5-89981-117-X ;
- “Korolev: Facts and Myths” - Y. K. Golovanov, M .: “Science” , 1994, - ISBN 5-02-000822-2 ;
- “At Risk” - A. A. Tul, Kaluga , “Golden Alley”, 2001, - ISBN 5-7111-0333-1 (erroneous) ;
- “Beyond the Wall of Secret” - A. A. Koreshkov, Vladimir , “ All-Russian Exhibition Center “ Cathedral ”, 2010, - ISBN 5-904418-74-4 .
- Harford, James. Korolev - How One Man Masterminded the Soviet Drive to Beat America to the Moon . John Wiley & Sons , Inc., New York, 1997. pp 119-120.— ISBN 0-471-14853-9
- “Testing rocket and space technology is a matter of my life” Events and Facts - A.I. Ostashev , Korolev , 2001 [4] ;
- “Coast of the Universe” - edited by A. Boltenko, Kiev , 2014, Phoenix Publishing House, ISBN 978-966-136-169-9
- Eliseev V.I. “We have grown hearts in Baikonur.” - M .: OAOMPK, 2018 .-- 766 p. - ISBN 978-5-8493-0415-1 .
Links
- R-16 strategic missile system with the 8K64 (R-16U / 8K64U) missile IS Rocket Technology
- The day when rockets do not start. Part one
- The day when rockets do not start. Part two
- Filming of the disaster October 24, 1960
- Monument on the square 41
- Newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets // Disaster on Baikonur.
- Russian Union of Veterans // Day of Remembrance and Respect.
- The official website of the administration of the city of Baikonur // Baikonur residents paid tribute to the dead testers of rocket and space technology.
- Military community // October 24 Memorial Day of the fallen rocketers.