OPS-4

OPS-4 was an unflown Soviet space station, expected to be a fourth in the secret Almaz military program. It remained grounded due to the cancellation of the program.^[1]

Spacecraft

OPS-4 underwent several technical and design changes. The aft docking port was designed to receive heavier TKS spacecraft, compared to a lighter Soyuz-enabled docking port in the three previous stations.^[1]

It was to be the first station launched with a three panel Mech-A Synthetic Aperture Radar and a manned reusable Return Vehicle VA. The VA was replaced by a second docking port, due to dealys in preparing a crew-rated TKS; the front sencion was refitted with a Soyuz-enabled docking port to receive manned craft.^[1]

OPS-4 was to carry an advanced Shchit-2 space-to-space cannon. It was reported to be a two projectile system armed with unguided missiles.^[1]

References

1 2 3 4 "OPS-4". Russianspaceweb.com.

Almaz program

	Manned stations	Salyut 2 (OPS-1) Salyut 3 (OPS-2) Salyut 5 (OPS-3) OPS-4 (not flown)

	Unmanned satellites	Almaz-T Kosmos 1870 Almaz 1 Almaz 2 (not flown)

See also: TKS spacecraft Salyut programme Excalibur Almaz

Space stations and habitats

Active

Defunct

Soviet Union and Russia	Salyut Salyut 1 DOS-2^† Salyut 2^{† ‡} Cosmos 557^† Salyut 3^‡ Salyut 4 Salyut 5^‡ Salyut 6 Salyut 7 Mir

United States	OPS 0855^° Skylab Genesis I^° and II^° (private, Bigelow Aerospace)

Cancelled

ISS-incorporated

Developmental

China	Tiangong Tiangong-2 Tiangong-3 Chinese space station

Bigelow Aerospace	Bigelow Commercial Space Station

Excalibur Almaz	Almaz commercial

Russia	OPSEK LOS

Proposed

Notes: † Never inhabited due to launch or on-orbit failure, ‡ Part of the Almaz military program, ° Never inhabited, lacks docking mechanism.

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