Party secretary of the King

Sergey V. Andreev, Samara State Aerospace university named by S.P. Koroljov, chair of LA

M.K.Yangel

Time is going, but rocket-nuclear shield remains one of the main factors which keep peace. Common people don't have a habit usually to think that this is not only provided by modern technique but the fortunes of people whom our country may be proud. It's useful to remember that October 25 year 1911 in far siberian village M.K. Yangel was born....

It happened so that there was no transport for completed products at the factory once. So "Yujmash" territory began to fill with missiles. The vagons were delivered at least naturally, but before they were found N.S. Khruschev arrived. As a result the legend was born that "we stamp them as sausages" ( so quick that are not able to take away). Yangel missiles were the subject of this legend. He began his career in the bureau of "King of fighters" N.N.Polikarpov, after graduation at Moscow aviation

N.N.Polikarpov

institute (MAI). When he was only 20 he became a member of communist party (CPSU) and soon was elected in MAI CPSU comitee. In whole his life was not rich with misfortunes as that ones of many other rocket specialists.

He was connected with I-185 fighter flight tests, in which V. Chkalov crushed, but he had no problems with NKVD. In 1938 he went abroad. One may compare him with Koroljov, who at this moment was moving in the quite opposite direction - to the prison camp in Kolyma region and this was not the worst because a lot of his collegues were simply shot.

Yangel never dreamed about rockets and was not fond of spaceflights.

When he was sent to NII-88 he was a good aviation specialist and hope to connect his future with aviation. Two years later Yangel became a director of NII-88. This was a serious "click on noze" for Koroljov (and not only).

S.P.Koroljov

Because of several circumstances among which there were complicated relations with Koroljov, Yangel was "separated" both with the factory in Dnepropetrovsk ("Yujmash").

While being a part of "Koroljov firm" this factory leadered by Vasily Budnik was producing R-1, R-2 and R-5 missiles (SS-1A, SS-3).

New design bureau received from Koroljov a project of R-12 high temperature boiling fuel IRBM. Previous R-5 had the main disadvantage in it's power plant. It's engine was a significantly updated but one from german FAU-2. There remained the only way to improve the rocket features seriously- to install a new engine. The time was limited as usual and nobody changed technology obviously. Inspite of all efforts it was impossible to mount four chamber engine in old diameter. So the tail swction became conical. This made missiles more stable in flight. Fuel tanks were plolonged and fuel components were changed.

R-12 was adopted in service in the march of 1958. In september of the same year the first trial of silo based R-12 took place.

Having earned an experience a young design bureau begun to derive it's first missile (SS-5). June 1960 the first trial of 8K65 IRBM took place. It was accepted in service in 1961. Only under the pressure of political leaders Yangel was obliged to try to transform R-12 and R-14 in spacecraft launchers. The first one failed to become suitable launcher. The second one is in action until nowdays plasing small satellites into orbits.

During "chelomeezation" of soviet rocket industry the design of new ICBM was seized from Yangel design bureau and fulfilled as UR-100 (8K84 or SS-11).

V.N.Chelomey

The works on sea-based IRBM failed. Inspite of serious catastrophe happened in october of 1960 Yangel completed successfully the trials of R-16 (8K84) ICBM and transfered it into service. Later he derived his best missile- R-36 (SS-9/18). The work on R-56 missile design for 80 Mt nuclear bomb, known as "Kuz'kina mat'" resulted in soviet manned lunar program participation. One of rocket blocks of N-1 (11A52) lunar booster was derived in Yangel design bureau. R-56 remained on paper only- "Proton" by Bugayskiy-Chelomey won the competition.

Yangel missiles didn't differ with some special structure solutions and never played significant role in TASS announcements. This reliable and precise weapon was a major part of rocket umbrella of USSR.

Notes:

NKVD- organization later named KGB

IRBM- intermediate range ballistic missile

ICBM- interconental ballistic missile

NII-88- Scientific-research institute No 88