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Kometa Central Science and Research Institute (TsNII)

Tsentral'nyi nauchno-issledovatel'skii institut "Kometa"

Contact Information
 Address: 109280 Moscow, Velozavodskaya st., 5
Tel: (095) 257-1533
Fax: (095) 274-0870

Activity: development of early warning and anti-satellite systems
Status: state enterprise
Subordination: Ministry of Economy
Former subordination: Ministry of Radio Industry (MRP)
Former or alternative name: Kometa Central Science and Production Association (TsNPO)
Background
 The enterprise originated from the KB-1, which was the lead institution in charge of development of air defense systems (now Almaz TsKB). When in 1959-1960 development of anti-satellite and ocean reconnaissance systems started, one of Special Design Bureaux of KB-1, headed by Anatoliy Ivanovich Savin, was given responsibility for "radiotechnical" component of those systems and overall system integration, while Chelomey's OKB-52 (now NPO mashinostroyenia) was originally conceived as the lead developer. With emasculation of Chelomey after 1964 [Chelomei had prospered due to a family connection with Nikita Sergeivich] and expansion of industrial cooperation team for the ASAT and ocean reconnaissance systems, the role of Savin's SKB apparently increased and it eventually became the Lead Developer of the systems, associated with space-based monitoring for purposes of strategic warning and space defense.

KB-1 had become TsNII Kometa (Raspletin, Savin, etc.) in 1965. At some unspecified moment Savin's SKB separated from KB-1 to become an independent institution. A.I.Savin's OKB-41 later became known as TsNII Kometa and then Kometa Central Science and Production Association (TsNPO). After break-up of USSR TsNPO was apparently dissolved to Kometa Central Science and Research Institute and a number of independent entities.

Initially Kometa reported to the Ministry of Radio Industry of USSR (MRP). After 1991 it successively reported to the Ministry of Industry, Committee on Defence Branches of Industry/Ministry of Defense Industry of Russia and after dissolution of the latter now reports to the Ministry of Economy.

Open Joint-Stock Company Kometa Corporation of Special-Purpose Space Systems (OAO Kometa Corporation) was established on May 10, 2012 in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 1836 of December 23, 2008, on the basis of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Order of Labor Red Banner of the Central Research Institute "Kometa" (FSUE "Central Research Institute" Kometa ").

The FSUE Central Research Institute Kometa takes its rich history of development and development from Spetsbyuro No. 1 MV (SB-1), which was established by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 3140-1026 on September 8, 1947. One of the first developments of the SB-1 was a rocket-controlled air-to-sea system under the code Kometa, which in 1952 entered service with naval aviation of the USSR. The main principle of its operation was that two jet aircraft were suspended on the carrier aircraft under the wings - the KS projectile and when the aircraft approached the target ship (less than 130 km), the projectile uncoupled and, overtaking the carrier, entered the beam of the onboard radar station . At a distance of 20-35 km, the projectile went into homing mode and hit the target. The development and management of the Kometa system was led by the chief and chief designer of the Special Bureau No. 1, P.N. Kuksenko, and his deputy, S.L. Beria.

In August 1950, the SB-1 was transformed into Design Bureau No. 1 (KB-1) - subsequently Almaz Central Design Bureau, in which, within the SKB-41 and then OKB-41, work was carried out on the development of aviation-grade radio-controlled missile weapons : “Air-sea”, “air-surface”, “sea-sea”, “air-air”, etc. KA launch detection system BR

In the 1960s, OKB-41 began to develop unique space systems (complexes): a space observation system for the World Ocean, an anti-space defense complex, a space flight for a missile attack warning system. In the interests of the anti-space defense complex (PKO), the Polet-1 and Polet-2 spacecraft were launched.

In 1965, work began on a space-based system for detecting launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in emitting the torches of their propulsion systems. This large information management system required the development and creation of a unique spacecraft and a command multifunctional information management complex equipped with an extensive computer network.

In 1968, for the first time in the world, a spacecraft (SC) was destroyed in orbit using an interceptor spacecraft. In 1973, by decision of the Government of the USSR, based on the OKB-41 of the Almaz Central Design Bureau (head AI Savin), Mospribor plant (director I.Z. Sokolov) and its design bureau (head G.I. Sosna ) The Kometa Central Research Institute was established, whose director and general designer appointed a talented scientist and production manager A.I. Savin - Hero of Socialist Labor, laureate of the Leninist and State Prizes of the USSR.

During the establishment of the enterprise, its structure was defined, managers of various levels were appointed, services were formed. Numerous organizational issues fell on the shoulders of the chief engineer V.P. Vasyukov, deputy directors M.A.Minaev, A.S. Shuvalov.

In the process of developing space systems, a number of fundamental problems were solved in the field of aircraft control, process control modeling and background heterogeneity processing. All this made it possible to create unique space systems in a short time, capable of detecting targets with high reliability and reliability and transmitting information to command centers in real time.

In 1973, the anti-space defense complex was put into service with the Soviet Army , and from 1975 systems of monitoring the waters of the World Ocean from space began to be gradually introduced. The high efficiency of the latter showed itself in 1982 in a real situation during the period of the Anglo-Argentine armed conflict at the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

In 1978, the world's first spacecraft with a nuclear installation on board was launched, and in 1979, the world's first space-propelled telescope, CMT-10, with a 10-meter antenna deployed into orbit. In 1979, the institute transferred into operation a space system for the early detection of rocket launches from the continental part of the United States, and subsequently the first and second phases of the global space system for the early detection of rocket launches from the continents, seas and oceans were introduced.

In 1999, the general director - general designer of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Central Research Institute" Kometa "(FSUE" TSNII "Kometa") was appointed Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor V.P. Mishnik is a well-known scientist, a skilled production organizer who did a lot during the years of perestroika and subsequent reforms in Russia to restore the enterprise’s performance and further develop space-based information control systems and special-purpose complexes.

The period from 1990 to 2000 was the most difficult in the life of the enterprise, as the state sharply reduced the volume of defense orders. By 1999, the total number of employees had more than doubled, and the average age of employees was close to retirement. Despite this, the scientific and production activities of the institute did not stop, but developed and improved. In 2003-2004, the Main Information Center of the Navy Situation Lighting System and the first phase of the man-made catastrophe detection system, assessing their scale and predicting the consequences were put into operation.

OJSC Kometa Corporation, flexibly combining the functions of a developer and system integrator, implements new generations of multifunctional global systems based on unified space and ground-based facilities, creates highly intelligent onboard and ground-based systems, algorithmic and software. Based on fundamental research, new multi-functional space detection, reconnaissance and target designation systems are being created.

Technical and design solutions applied at the enterprise allow the dual use of the above-mentioned complexes and systems to monitor the state of the ozone layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, monitor near-Earth space, detect heat sources (fires, oil flares, etc.), create commercial communication systems, earthquake prediction systems and control nuclear explosions in three environments.

With the reorganization of the institute in May 2012, the Kometa Corporation of Space Special-Purpose Special-Purpose Space Systems Corporation (Kometa Corporation OJSC) opened a new stage in the development of the enterprise. At present, considerable work is needed on the reconstruction and technical re-equipment of the research, experimental, and stand base, the construction of new production buildings, and the creation of the necessary foundation on which the corporation staff can rely in creating an advanced scientific and technical reserve in the space industry.

Main Activity
 Kometa is responsible for overall development of strategic monitoring systems and particularly for codes and algorithms for system operation, data processing and interpretation.

Projects participated

  • anti-satellite system (developed since 1960, first successful test in August of 1970, commissioned for combat duty in 1979, self-imposed moratorium on anti-satellite testing was introduced on 18 August of 1983 [1])
  • system of ocean reconnaissance and targeting (flight testing of nuclear-powered active radar satellites began in 1967, of passive radar satellites - in 1974. Nuclear-powered active satellites were abandoned in 1988, system continues to operate relying on passive radar satellites)
  • space-based early warning system (flight tests of early warning satellites in highly elliptic orbit began in 1972. The system is currently operational, using a constellation of 8-9 satellites in semi-synchronous elliptic orbits and a couple of satellites in geosynchronous orbit)
    Also,
  • Kometa worked on a system for permanent monitoring of ALL U.S. nuclear weapons (including bombers and submarines). Studies, performed by Kometa under directive of then-Minister of Defense Dmitriy F. Ustinov by the end of 1970s, proved, that it is impossible to destroy about 10000 warheads, launched in overall nuclear attack [1]. Meanwhile, work on systems to monitor submarines and bombers continued until at least 1993 [2].
  • in 1980s was developing Oktava system for testing of perspective methods of detection of ballistic missile launch and of outer space monitoring. The system, composed of Lira radar and optical sensor assembly, Pion-K and Buton units, was developed jointly with the USSR Academy of Sciences and Kazan Optical-Mechanical Association and was planned for installation aboard 77KSO (Spektr) module of the Mir complex. This program was slowed down by MoD funding problems and abandoned at all in 1992. [3].
  • Kometa worked on a system for monitoring effects of weapons of mass destruction, but development of this systems is yet to be completed [2].

Organizational Structure
In 1970-s and 1980-s Kometa was a Central Science and Production Association (TsNPO), which included the Central Science and Research Institute (TsNII Kometa), production facilities and, apparently, several remote affiliates. (One such remote branch was known to be located in Ukraine and headed by Sergo Lavrentievich Beria (Gegechkori), son of Lavrentiy Beria and the initial Chief Engineer of the whole KB-1 [4]
In 1990s Kometa lost most of its affiliates, which became independent entities.

Economic Status
No data

Membership/Sharehodling
Kometa TsNII is exempt from privatization in accordance with the Decree of the Government #802 of July 18, 1996 [6].

Industry Cooperation
Principal partners of Kometa are:

International Cooperation
No data available

Conversion/Diversification
Within a framework of conversion Kometa suggested

  • to use operational [space-based early warning] system for monitoring ozone and other atmospheric components
  • to develop a system "for ensuring ecological safety of outer space". The project, called Sirius, suggested to develop an interceptor "on the basis of available system" to capture large pieces of space debris or non-operational spacecraft and either boost or deorbit them.
Kometa also offered large deployable antennas (up to 30 meters in diameter) for perspective communications satellites. (Perhaps, it was that antennae, which was picked up by Energia NPO for their proposed Globis heavy GEO satellite).
In 1993 the Edict of the President approved proposal of Kometa about development of (unspecified) Satellite Telecommunications System, with Kometa TsNPO acting as a Lead Developer [5]. However, that project probably failed to find required investments and nothing visible came out of the proposal so far.

References

1. A.Dokuchayev "Russkie ne rasstrelivali amerikanskie sputniki" - Krasnaya Zvezda, 1995
2. Secret Space, film by Videocosmos, 1993
3. Novosti Kosmonavtiki #10, 1995 p.35
4. Novosti Kosmonavtiki #16, 1993
5. Edict of the President of RF "About creation of the satellite telecommunication system (STCS)" #1020 of July 7, 1993. - Novosti Kosmonavtiki #14, 1993, p.8.
6. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation #802 of July 18, 1996 "About list of enterprises and organizations of defense complex, privatization of which is prohibited"/ Rossiyskaya Gazeta - 30 July 1996 - p.5.




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