R-2 (missile)

The R -2 ( NATO reporting name SS-2 Sibling ) was a fluid operated Soviet short-range missile that was developed in the late 1940s and built in the early 1950s and used. Their development was based on the German A4 and made ​​use of insights that have been gained in the construction of the Soviet R- 1 rocket, a direct copy of the A4. She was the first to be separate from the drive warhead, which was dissolved in the Earth's atmosphere from the fuselage of the rocket just before re-entry. Your strike accuracy has been reduced to a radius of 1250 m. The heart, the rocket engine RD -101 with 340 kN thrust, as was that of the R-1 under the direction of Valentin Glushko. German technicians such as Helmut Gröttrup played still in planning an important role. As fuel continues to serve ethanol and liquid oxygen, the respective tanks and thus the rocket mass however, had been enlarged, which is also the range of the missile substantially increased.

The first test flight took place in September 1949. In November 1951, the development was completed, followed by 1953 a greater number of missiles was placed in the service. Although the rocket was more powerful than her predecessor, it became obsolete in a short time because of the launch of a R -2 alone six hours and twenty vehicles were needed. Another drawback was the control -dependent air traffic control system is used as before. Thus it was already retired service after two years and replaced by its successor, the R-5.

A modification of the R -2A, was used for geophysical surveys; dogs have been transported into space with her.

The technology of the R-2 was exported in accordance with a license agreement dated 6 December 1957 to China.

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