May 12 1988
From The Space Library
The Associated Press and United Press International news agencies reported that U.S. surveillance satellites had detected the explosion of a Soviet solid propellant plant 500 miles southwest of Moscow in the Ukraine. The Soviet Union confirmed that an explosion had occurred-killing three people and seriously injuring five others-but denied that rocket propellants had been involved in the blast. U.S. intelligence officials claimed that the explosion destroyed several buildings at the plant and put a halt to all solid propellant manufacturing activities at the facility, which was the only source of solid propellant for the SS24 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Two weeks prior, a powerful series of explosions destroyed a solid propellant plant in Nevada, killing two plant employees and injuring hundreds of others. Pentagon officials estimated it would take at least six months for the Soviet facility to resume production of ICBM propellants. (AP, May 18/88; UPI, May 18/88; W Post, May 18/88; WSJ, May 18/88; USA Today, May 18/88; W Times, May 18/88)
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