It has been 50 years since the day of the Cyclone-2 rocket maiden launch – the world record-holder of the rocket engineering: all 106 launches of this rocket were successful. On August 6, 1969 Cyclone-2 rocket put into orbit the military-oriented spacecraft- ABM system satellite killer.

The history of development of one of the world’s most reliable launch vehicles began in August 1965, when the government regulation on development of the carrier rocket based on the orbital rocket was adopted. And in March 1966 the preliminary design of the 11К69 space launch system (SLS) was developed (Cyclone-2). Thus for the first time in history of the rocket engineering the space launch system with all-around 100 % automated prelaunch countdown cycle was developed, featuring the original technology of rocket prelaunch processing involving the transporter-erector, equipped with automatic mating mechanisms for pneumatic, hydraulic- and electrical utility lines.

11К69 SLS was developed by Yuzhnoye SDO jointly with design bureau of transport machine building and NPO Electropribor. It was deployed at the Baikonur cosmodrome.

Cyclone -2 rocket length was 39 m, diameter – 3 m. It was light-class two-stage rocket, designed to launch various purpose spacecraft into the low circular and elliptical near-Earth orbits, including open orbits. Cyclone-2 rocket could put into orbit 1500-5000 kg of payload.

Cyclone-2 Stage I propulsion system incorporated three Energomash-developed main two-chamber engines and one Yuzhnoye-developed four-chamber steering engine. Stage II featured Energomash-developed main two-chamber engine and Yuzhnoye-developed steering four-chamber engine. All engines were powered by liquid hypergolic propellant with high-boiling propellants. NPO Electropribor developed rocket’s autonomous inertial control system.

From 1969 to 1982, in the interests of counteraction to space objects 11К69 rockets orbited 3 spacecraft-targets and 18 satellite-interceptors. Objects were intercepted at up to 1000 km altitude.

Cyclone-2 made history of the world rocket building as one of the most reliable launch vehicles, second to none to this day.