The most striking feature of the Almaz station was the 23mm Nudelman-Rikhter (NR-23) cannon, a modified aircraft gun adapted for use in the unforgiving vacuum of space.
"This battle station is now fully armed and operational!" Emperor Palpatine hissed through gritted teeth when referring to the Death Star in George Lucas' iconic Star Wars series. While the stuff of space opera and science fiction, the idea of a "fully armed and operational" orbital battle station was on the minds of the two competing Cold War superpowers.
The Soviet Union had done more than merely contemplate the prospects of having such weaponized space station. They actually managed to deploy one of these ghastly machines.
Of course, the Soviet Almaz "battlestation" was not anything like the powerful, planet-killing, massive Death Star featured in the Star Wars films. But had the Soviets mastered their military space station -- particularly after the Americans declined to take part in that particular aspect of the space race that defined the Cold War rivalry -- they might have been able to dominate the strategic high ground above the Earth in ways previously unimagined.
The History of the Soviet Union's Military Space Station
The Almaz space station program goes back to the early 1960s, the height of the Cold War, when both the US and USSR were striving to extend their military capabilities into space. The Soviet leadership viewed space as a new frontier for asserting Soviet military dominance and countering perceived threats from the West.
The launch of Sputnik in 1957 had already demonstrated Moscow's technological prowess, but the US announcement of its Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) in 1963, a proposed military space station for reconnaissance and surveillance, prompted the Soviets to develop a rival system. Built by the Chelomei Design Bureau (under the leadership of Soviet designer Vladimir Chelomei, a prominent rocket engineer), the Almaz program was shrouded in mystery -- and hidden behind the civilian and non-threatening Salyut space station program. Officially designated as Orbital Piloted Station (OPS), Almaz was envisioned as a manned space station equipped with advanced surveillance and, most importantly, defensive weaponry.
The program's secrecy was paramount. As part of the trick, the Almaz stations were given an official designation of Salyut-2, -3, and -5 in order to confound Western spies trying to determine what the Soviets were up to.
For their time, the Almaz military space stations were engineering marvels, designed to support long-term human presence in orbit while fulfilling strictly military objectives. Each station could accommodate a crew of two to three cosmonauts for missions lasting up to 60 days.
The stations were equipped with sophisticated reconnaissance systems, including high-resolution cameras and radar, capable of capturing detailed images of military installations, troop movements, and naval activities on Earth.
But this system was more than just a passive observer of the Earth below. It was also a battle station -- albeit lacking the Death Star's grandiosity.
The most striking feature of the Almaz station was the 23mm Nudelman-Rikhter (NR-23) cannon, a modified aircraft gun adapted for use in the unforgiving vacuum of space. This weapon was intended primarily for defensive purposes, such as protecting the station from potential anti-satellite (ASAT) attacks or even hostile spacecraft.
As part of the Almaz space station's preparation, the Soviets tested the NR-23 cannon in orbit via remote, marking the first confirmed use of a weapon in space. The inclusion of the NR-23 cannon underscored the Soviet Union's intent to prepare for potential space-based conflicts, setting a precedent for the weaponization of orbital platforms.
Of course, Moscow had bigger dreams for its space stations than simple cannons. The Soviets wanted their Almaz stations to be able to deploy space mines and launch small missiles. The stations themselves featured advanced life support systems, docking ports for Soyuz spacecraft, and a return capsule for sending reconnaissance film back to Earth, ensuring operational flexibility and mission success.
What Can America Learn from the Almaz Program?
Three stations were launched under the banner of the Almaz program between 1973 and 1976. A fourth was planned but never launched due to budget constraints, and technical issues plagued the various iterations of the Almaz station. It was on Almaz-3 that the NR-23 cannon was remotely tested following the crew's departure.
Inevitably, the program was abandoned and folded into the legendary Mir space station program. Yet the Salyut, Almaz, and the Mir space station programs all ensured Russia's status, both during the Cold War and after, as the world's dominant space station power.
Today, as the West and Russia are again at odds, space is increasingly a factor in war plans. There is now even talk of actual weapons being deployed to space. If past is prologue, might the Russians try to construct another battle station?
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert's writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China's Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran's Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.