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/specialCollection/MissileGap/1961/1961-04-25.pdf

Central Intelligence Agency · 101 pages · text from the file's own layer

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.

  • p. 15 …At the test range, the Soviets have fol- lowed a generally similar pattern in the de…
  • p. 33 …We believe that at the present time, the Soviets are well advanced in a program to…
  • p. 57 …the Soviet state of the art in re-entry techniques at that time. Subsequent advances in…
  • p. 58 …specific time designated well in advance, i.e., maximum readiness. The ready missile rate is expected…
  • p. 66 …program for developing advanced ASW weap- ons systems exists. The USSR has the basic scientific and…
  • p. 80 …technological advances in sev- eral key areas. 163.The Soviets are aware of the advantages offered…
  • p. 81 …The caliber of the Soviet work to date indicates that the USSR is among world leaders…
  • p. 82 …the vehicle should permit the Soviets to effect rendezvous with an earth orbiting vehicle. 173.Advanced…
  • p. 91 …We estimate the SS-6, and probably the SS-5, will probably utilize fixed sites. The…
  • p. 93 …The Academy of Sciences provides supplementary proposals and re- search programs designed to advance the state…
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.