AT 1962 , the world shook the Cuban Missile Crisis, the echoes of which were heard in all corners of the globe. Then mankind stood on the brink of full-scale nuclear war with all its attendant consequences of such a conflict. In the end, war was averted, but in the United States and the Soviet Union did not cease to work to create a new means of destroying each other. In the United States during the period from 1962 by 1975 year were working on classified projects "Program 437", the purpose of which was to create a full-fledged anti-satellite weapons and nuclear missiles "satellite killers".
According to the publication «The National Interest», American victims of anti-missile, created on the basis of medium-range ballistic missile PGM-17 Thor, became at least 6 satellites: American satellites Traac, Transit 4B, Injun I, Telstar I, British satellite Ariel I and the Soviet satellite "Cosmos-5". All of these satellites have suffered from the Starfish Prime test. At the same time the greatest impact in those years caused the failure of the Telstar I satellite, who was responsible for the transmission of television pictures between the United States and Europe. It is believed, that the satellite was a victim of nuclear tests conducted by the United States in terms of space. 21 February 1963 Currently, the space satellite permanently out of order.
It should be noted, that the US projects for eventual destruction in Earth orbit satellites launched already in 1957 year and were directly related to the successful launch of the Soviet Sputnik - "Sputnik 1". The first attempts to destroy the rocket satellite, launched from the aircraft, the US military launched in the second half 1959 of the year. 3 September the missile was launched from aboard the B-58 aircraft, the purpose of which was the Discoverer satellite 5. This proved to be an emergency start. 13 October 1959 , the rocket «Bold Orion», which was launched on board the bomber B-47, went just 6,4 kilometers from the satellite Explorer 6 on high 251 km. The launch of the US military acknowledged success.
It should be noted, that the Soviet Union did not stand on the sidelines and also developed their own programs in the field of anti-satellite weapons. Work on the development of similar systems in the USSR started in the early 1960s, when it became clear, that the threat to the security of the state are not only missiles, flying from space, but being on the Earth's orbit reconnaissance, navigation, weather satellites, as well as communication satellites, which represent the full military installations, destruction which becomes justified in the event of full-scale hostilities.
The launch medium-range ballistic missile activities "Thor"
But at the same time, the US went into this matter much further, Having considered the possibility of destroying enemy satellites using high-grade ballistic missiles, equipped with thermonuclear warheads. Such a missile was created and tested in the United States has 1962 year as part of the "Dominic" project, when in a short time with 1962 by 1963 year, Americans conducted a series of nuclear tests, which consisted of 105 explosions. Including a series of high-altitude nuclear tests in the framework of the project under the code name «Operation Fishbow». It is in the framework of this project and has been tested anti-satellite missile "Thor", which successfully undermined a thermonuclear warhead in the near-Earth space in the order of height 400 km.
The "Dominique" was carried out at the time of the greatest tensions between the US and the USSR. Strained relations even before the famous "Cuban missile crisis" contributed to the attempt of the US administration to overthrow Fidel Castro's government in Cuba, for this in April 1961 the US conducted an operation in the Bay of Pigs. In response to this, 30 August 1961 , Nikita Khrushchev announced the end of a three-year moratorium on nuclear testing. A new round of the arms race, in the United States John F. Kennedy authorized the operation "Dominique", that will forever go down in history, as the largest program of nuclear tests, ever held in the US.
"437 Program" was initiated by the US Air Force in February 1962 of the year, it was approved by the US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. The program was aimed at developing weapons, ability to fight off the enemy by Space Objects. Space development has transformed orbiting observation satellites and communication in the strategically important military installations, which could have a significant impact on the course of hostilities. Under these conditions, a means of combating them is becoming increasingly important on both sides of the Atlantic.
Nuclear explosion at a height 96 km as part of Operation "Dominique"
As a means of anti-satellite missile, Americans considered "Thor". PGM-17 Thor - is the first ballistic missile medium-range, which was put into service in the US 1958 year. It was a single-stage liquid rocket, the engine that runs on kerosene and liquid oxygen. rocket cylindrical body tapered smoothly enough to top, which gave the "Torah", by staff reviews, similarity with milk bottle. Mrbm PGM-17 Thor had a launch weight 49,8 tons and maximum range 2400 km. To protect against adverse weather conditions, missile was stored horizontally in special unfortified ground shelters. Before launching the rocket lifted into a vertical position and tucked. The total time of preparation for the start of the rocket was about 10 minutes.
As part of the "437 Program" rocket "Thor" was considered, as a means to destroy a variety of space objects. In this case, the missile differed sufficiently powerful warhead - 1,44 megaton. As part of the test under the name Starfish initial launch of the "anti-satellite" "Thor" missiles had come 20 June 1962 of the year. But a minute later after the launch of a rocket engine failure resulted in the loss of missiles and nuclear devices. In this case, the wreckage of the rocket and the resulting radioactive dust fell on Johnston Atoll and led to radiation pollution areas.
The second attempt was scheduled for 9 July 1962 of the year, She was successful. Launched with the help of a rocket "Thor" nuclear warhead with a charge capacity of W49 1,44 megatons exploded at an altitude of 400 km in near-Earth space over Johnston Atoll, located in the Pacific Ocean. The almost complete absence of air at a given altitude prevented the formation of clouds familiar to us in the form of a nuclear mushroom.
At the same time in such a high-altitude explosion of other interesting effects were reported. Approximately 1500 km from the explosion - in Hawaii under the influence of strong electromagnetic pulse TVs, radios, Three hundred street lamps and other electrical appliances are out of order. At the same time in the sky over the whole region more 7 minute to observe a bright glow. We saw him and managed to capture on film from Samoa, which was located at a distance of 3200 km from the epicenter.
Formed as a result of a nuclear explosion charged particles were picked up by the Earth's magnetosphere, with the result that their concentration in the radiation belt of the planet has increased by 2-3 order. Exposure to radiation belt led to a very rapid degradation of the electronics and solar panels a few artificial earth satellites, among which was the first commercial American telecommunication satellite Telstar 1. It was launched the day after the nuclear tests - 10 July. It is believed, that it fully hit by the consequences. He quit his job in December 1962 of the year, in early January, his work was able to restore, but 21 February of the same year, the satellite completely out of order, remained in Earth orbit. At the same time the Pentagon information on, that high-altitude nuclear explosion can incapacitate space objects, embraced with enthusiasm, since the United States appeared a way to destroy the Soviet satellites.
As noted in the publication of «The National Interest», one of the victims of "Thor" became a US missile and satellite "Cosmos-5". This Soviet research satellite, It belongs to a series of spacecraft "Kosmos", was launched 28 May 1962 year from the Kapustin Yar cosmodrome to launch complex "Mayak-2" launch vehicle "Kosmos 63S1". On board the satellite was installed equipment, designed to study the radiation environment in near-Earth space, as well as to study auroras and information about the ionospheric formation processes. Americans consider, that the satellite has become another victim of the tests "Thor" missiles in the near-Earth space, experiencing the same problems, that telecommunications satellite Telstar I. Satellite "Cosmos 5" has ceased to exist 2 May 1963 of the year.
AT 1964 year anti-satellite system based on ballistic missiles "Thor" with a thermonuclear warhead was officially put into service under the symbol PGM-17A (It is supposed to rename PIM-17A for an unknown reason and was not formally approved). The first rocket stood on alert in August 1964 of the year. These missiles were able to intercept any orbital facility, located at an altitude of 1400 km and at a distance of up to 2400 km. The radius of destruction in the explosion of a megaton warhead guaranteed immediate destruction of satellites thermal and radiation exposure at a distance of up to 8 km from the epicenter.
As the launch sites used by the US Air Force Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii. Specifically for the control of anti-missiles and a number of non-nuclear tests in the United States Air Force was formed 10th Squadron aerospace defense. Despite, Americans were convinced, that severe nuclear warheads are not the best means of combating low-orbit satellites, missiles "Thor" on Johnston Atoll remained on alert in constant readiness for launch until 1975 of the year.
Absolutely obvious, that the development of "Program 437" interfere with a number of circumstances, including the risk of. The US is well aware, that a nuclear attack on the satellite can be received by the Soviet Union, as the beginning of hostilities, that will cause retaliation from Moscow. Also, there was always a risk of, that such attacks, if it will not cause the beginning of an all-out nuclear war, it will lead to unintended consequences, that is accidentally deleted or temporarily disabling allied satellites, as it happened during the Starfish Prime test.
Its importance in shutting down the program played and wear themselves missiles, who came lifetime. An important role was played by the lack of funding, at this time it is a huge part of the American military budget was spent on the war in Vietnam. therefore at 1975 the Pentagon finally closed the "437 Program". A role played by the, what else 5 August 1963 the USSR, The US and Britain have signed a joint agreement on banning nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, outer space and under water.
In this case, from the development of non-nuclear ASAT systems, no one refused. So in the US 1977-1988 years of work was carried out actively in the framework of the ASAT program (abbreviation AntiSatellite). There was work to create a new generation of anti-satellite weapons on the basis of kinetic and interceptor aircraft carrier. AT 1984-1985 Years passed flight tests of air-launched anti-satellite missile: five held then runs in only one case interceptor missile failed to hit the cosmic purpose. However, that's another story.
