Documents / FOIA release
This is National Intelligence Estimate 11-5-61, Soviet Technical Capabilities in Guided Missiles and Space Vehicles. It was submitted by the Director of Central Intelligence and concurred in by the United States Intelligence Board on 25 April 1961. The estimate assesses Soviet surface-to-air, antimissile, air-to-air, air-to-surface, ballistic, ICBM, naval and space programs. It concludes that the first Soviet ICBM unit was probably operational around 1 January 1960. It also says there is no evidence the Soviets are developing offensive space weapons. It contains no UFO material.
“Low Earth orbit”3 pages
Table 2 (Conlintted) SPUTNIK VII (1061 BETA) SPUTNIK VIII (1961 GAMMA) Venus Probe Success SPUTNIK IX (1061 THETA) SPUTNIK X (1961 IOTA) SPUTNIK XI (1961 MW Contents , Radio FrequenCies used, MCS. Date of Last Signal Intercept. Date of Satellite De- raise. Probable Venus probe failure, 20 GG 71 76 2,825 4 Feb. 1961 Unknown Used as a launching plat- form for Venus probe No. 1. Contents not known, but scientific instrumentation un- likely, 20 GG 71 70 922.8 2,825 12 Feb. 1001 25 Feb. 1001 Identified by Soviets as "Space Ship No. 4." Probably basically similar to SPUTNIK V earritcl a dog and other biological sped- mens as precursors to manned flight. lie- , eevery after one earth- revolution. 20 10.005 19.995 60 71 70 83 182 2,740 2,700 _ 0 Mar. 1961 .. Recovered 9 Mar. 1001... Identified by Soviets as "Space Ship No. 5.'' Probably basically similar to SPUTNIK IX. Carried a dog and other biological speci- mens. Recovered after one earth-revolution. 10.00.5 19.9 00 71 78 83 183 2,800 , 25 Mar. 1961 Recovered 25 Mar. 1961 20.005. Carried the fii,t illnll into near-space. Recovered after one earth-revolution. TV, telemetry. radiotele- phone and radiott-legraph monitored the man's he- havior and reactions during flight. Undoubtedly car- ried solar and cosmic ray radiation ■nettring equip- ment. 9.019. 60. 71. 76. 83. 134. 183. 2,820. 12 Apr. 1061. Recovered 12 Apr. 1961.
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 101 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.