JSC "Khartron" (Hartron) (Ukrainian: Хартрон, formerly NPO "Electropribor", Russian: НПО "Электроприбор", meaning Scientific Production Association "Electrical device"; originally known as NII-692 or OKB-692 design bureau; afterwards known as KB electropriborostroeniya before being named NPO Electropribor) is one of the leading design engineering bureaus in Ukraine, which develops and produces spacecraft and missile control systems.
History and achievements
Khartron Corp. was established in 1959 in Kharkiv, Ukraine Socialiste Soviet Republic. Founded as a government enterprise, Khartron Corp. changed its names several times, albeit remaining an intact entity. The main trend of its activity was development and implementation of control systems for ballistic missiles, carrier-boosters and space vehicles. It is Khartron that developed control systems for the formidable missiles SS-18 and SS-19, for the all scientific and technical modules of the MIR Space Station, and for the Zarya cargo module of the International Space Station. It was the main developer enterprise of the Energia rocket. Khartron is the only company in the world that provides automatic docking of the heavy 20-tons space vehicles in space environment. Under a radically changing economic environment, Khartron Corp. has had to adapt to civilian applications, thus executing the Government conversion Program. SS-18 and SS-19 were converted into space launchers Dnepr and Eurokot to orbit Ukrainian and foreign satellites.