Soviet Rocket Engineer Stanislav Us, Creator of Satan, Dies at 89

Soviet rocket engineer Stanislav Us, who played a key role in developing the strategic missile system R-36M, has died at the age of 89. The news was announced by former head of the press service of the state corporation Roscosmos, Dmitry Strugovets, on his Telegram channel.

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Strategic missile system RS-20 Voevoda

"Stanislav Ivanovich Us has passed away — the chief designer of the R-36M intercontinental ballistic missile and its modifications (RS-20, known in NATO classification as "Satan"), as well as the Dnepr conversion rocket,” Strugovets wrote.

Career in Soviet Rocket Engineering

From the late 1950s, Us worked at OKB-586, later known as the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. In 1971, he became head of development for the R-36M system, which included a heavy intercontinental ballistic missile.

He also contributed to the upgraded R-36M2 "Voevoda” and to the Dnepr launch vehicle, which engineers created by converting decommissioned R-36M missiles.

In 1990, Stanislav Us received the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. He also became a laureate of the Russian Government Prize in science and technology.

Earlier this year, reports indicated that the service life of the UR-100N UTTKh intercontinental ballistic missile would be extended for several more years, underscoring the lasting relevance of systems developed during the Soviet era.