The USSR’s Secret Spacecraft “SPIRAL”
<p>The “Spiral” project emerged as a response to the similar American X-20 “Dyna Soar” program. Following the customer’s requirements, designers undertook the development of a reusable two-stage air-orbital aircraft, consisting of a hypersonic booster plane and a military orbital plane with a rocket booster.</p>
<p>The combat-piloted single-seat orbital aircraft for multiple uses was intended for use in configurations such as a daytime photo-reconnaissance, radar reconnaissance, interceptor of space targets, or a strike aircraft armed with “space-to-earth” missiles and could be used for servicing space objects. The mass of the apparatus was about 8800 kg, including 500 kg of combat load. The range of reference orbits was from 130 to 150 km, with the flight mission to be carried out over two or three orbits around Earth (the third orbit was for landing).</p>
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