R-36O 8K69

The R-36O was the only orbiting military nuclear weapon ever deployed, although in order to remain legal under international treaties it was a 'fractional orbital' weapon. Although American infrared early warning satellites invalidated the 'surprise attack' component of the concept, 18 missiles were operational from 1969 to 1983.

Height

32.6 m

Diameter

3 m

LEO capacity

0 kg

Manufacturer

Yuzhnoye Design Bureau

Total launches

Successful

Pending

Successful landings

Flight system

Built to move mass beyond the atmosphere.

Yuzhnoye Design Office, located in Dnipro, Ukraine, is a designer of satellites and rockets, and formerly of Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) established by Mikhail Yangel in 1951. The Zenit launch vehicle currently launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome but also used to launch from an ocean platform, Odyssey.