TheTsyklon (Ukrainian:Циклон, "Cyclone", also known asTsiklon),GRAU index 11K67, was aSoviet-designedexpendable launch system, primarily used to putKosmossatellites intolow Earth orbit in the late-1960s. It is based on theR-36intercontinental ballistic missile designed byMikhail Yangel and made eight launches, with seven successes and one failure. All of its launches were conducted from LC-90 at theBaikonur Cosmodrome. It is sometimes designatedTsyklon-2A, not to be confused with the laterTsyklon-2 rocket. It was introduced in 1967 and was derived from theR-36 ICBM (NATO designationSS-9 Scarp). It was retired in 1969.

It made its maiden flight on 27 October 1967. The booster's design was kept secret and no images or film clips of the complete vehicle were released to the public until after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in part because of being used exclusively for military payloads and also because it was derived from an actively serving missile system. After 1991, the plant where the R-36/Tsyklon were manufactured ended up in newly independent Ukraine.

Tsyklon was designed by theYuzhnoye Design Bureau and manufactured byYuzhmash (both inDnipropetrovsk,Ukraine). Control system was designed atNPO "Electropribor"^[1] (Kharkiv,Ukraine). The last flown derivative, theTsyklon-3 was retired in January 2009.^[2] Another derivative, theTsyklon-4, continued to be developed after the retirement of Tsyklon-3, but the Tsyklon-4 project was cancelled in 2015 due to financial concerns. Tsyklon-4 never reached launch pad. However, yet another derivative, theCyclone-4M, a development of Tsyklon-4, continued to be developed and is still currently (2021) under development.

Two rockets were derived from the Tsyklon: theTsyklon-2 andTsyklon-3, known respectively as the SL-11 and SL-14 by the United StatesDoD.^[3]

The two stage Tsyklon-2 was first launched 6 August 1977 from theBaikonur Cosmodrome inKazakhstan. The Tsyklon-2 was 39.7 metres (130 ft) long with a fueled mass of 182 tonnes. The Tsyklon-2 made its final flight in 2006.^[2]

The Tsyklon-3, which featured a restartable third stage, first launched on 24 June 1977 from thePlesetsk Cosmodrome. The Tsyklon-3 is 39.27 metres (128.8 ft) long with a fueled mass of 186 to 190 tonnes. It was partially the result of an effort to reduce the number of Soviet launch vehicles in use, replacing the small R-12 derived Kosmos booster and some R-7 variants.

On 27 December 2000, a Tsyklon-3 failed in its attempt to carry six Russian satellites into orbit, plummeting to the earth. An electrical failure in the rocket's third stage was the suspected cause.

The Tsyklon-3 was retired after launching theKoronas-Foton satellite on 30 January 2009.^[2]

TheTsyklon-4 was under development as an evolution of the Tsyklon-3, but was eventually abandoned due to economic and market concerns. A derivative, theCyclone-4M, is under development as of 2019^[update] for Canadian service providerMaritime Launch Services; however theCyclone-4M does not share any booster stage derived from the original Tsyklon series.^[4]

• Comparison of orbital launchers families

• Yuzhnoye Design Office
• Alcântara Cyclone Space

• 1973 in spaceflight
• 1974 in spaceflight
• Yuzhmash space launch vehicles
• Space launch vehicles of the Soviet Union

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