Ballistic missiles "Topol" again converted for space

Start-1.2 launch vehicle based on the RT-2PM Topol intercontinental ballistic missile Topol (SS-25)

Russia returned to the idea of ​​using Topol intercontinental ballistic missiles to launch satellites, arocket in space rocket told the RIA Novosti news agency. industry.

The idea seems to be quite logical, because now in the armament of the Topol missile forces, it has been ordered to replace the more modern PC-24 Yars with a mobile and mine-based ballistic missile with a divided warhead. Accordingly, the old ballistic missiles have nowhere to go - they have to be let under the knife. Now you can find them a worthy use.

Due to the conversion of the missiles, the cost of launches is significantly reduced, because the launch vehicle in this case gets almost free. According to open sources, about 70 Topol missiles are currently in service with the Strategic Missile Forces.

Interestingly, Topol missiles have already been used to launch satellites. From 1993 to 2006, with a mobile launcher from the Plesetsk and Svobodny (now Vostochny) cosmodromes, there were seven launches of the Start and Start-1 launch vehicles, based on the Topol. To do this, the rocket was upgraded from a combat version to a space carrier. The way of re-equipment of the rocket is protected by a patent (UPD: in the comments they noticed that the patent was terminated early due to non-payment of the fee).

“Start” is a solid-propellant space launch vehicle designed on the basis of an intercontinental ballistic missile 15Zh58 of the Topol mobile ground-based missile system at the Komplekt-MIT STC. It is intended for launching small-sized spacecraft into low near-earth orbits, including by commercial orders. There are two versions of launch vehicles: the five-speed “Start” and the four-speed “Start-1” with a payload for low orbits of 850 and 400 kg, respectively. The maximum diameter of both types of missiles is 1.8 meters. Height is 28.8 (22.7) m, weight is 60 (47) t.

In addition, on the basis of the intercontinental ballistic missile RS-20 (“Satan”), the Dnepr carrier rocket was created before the war, and from 1999 to 2015 made 22 launches. The Rokot conversion rocket with the Ukrainian control system is still used.