Russia to conduct two tests of its new ‘Satan’ ballistic missile
Before the end of the year, the Russian Ministry of Defense plans to hold two tests of the liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile, RS-28 Sarmat, at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, as reported on October 23rd by Kommersant, citing sources close to the department and the missile industry.
The program is planning to launch a rocket from a silo at the Plesetsk spaceport. "The main goal is to test the operation of the rocket systems at the time of the exit from the silo and the start of the first-stage engine operations, which lasts for about five seconds," the source said. He clarified that if the test is successful, the second one will take place later this year.
The development of engines for the RS-28 Sarmat missile was carried out by Energomash and the first successful tests of the first-stage engine took place in August 2016.
The newest super-heavy RS-28 Sarmat rocket is planned to be adopted in 2019-2020. The development of the project began in 2011 and the newly created missile will replace the Voevoda (Satan) missile system. The launch mass of the rocket will be less than 110 tons with a range in excess of 11,000 kilometers. The ICBM will carry 10-15 separable warheads with a yield of up to 750 kilotons each.