Space troops

Space forces solve a wide range of tasks, the main of which are: ^[2] :

• observation of space objects and the identification of threats to Russia in space and from space, and, if necessary, the reflection of such threats;
• launching spacecraft into orbits, control of satellite systems for military and dual (military and civilian) purposes in flight and the use of some of them in the interests of providing the troops (forces) of the Russian Federation with the necessary information;
• maintaining the established composition and readiness for use of satellite systems for military and dual-use, their launch and control means and a number of other tasks.

The first parts of the space mission (now the Strategic Missile Forces , Strategic Missile Forces) were formed in 1955 as part of the artillery of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command (RVGK), when the decision of the Government of the USSR decided to build a research site , which later became the world famous Baikonur cosmodrome .

In 1957, the Command and Measurement Complex (CFC) for spacecraft control was created (now the Main Testing Center for Testing and Control of Space Facilities named after G.S. Titov , GITSIU KS), which included the Center for the management and coordination of the work of the complex of measuring means, communication facilities, single time service and 13 separate control points . In the same year, in the city ​​of Mirny in the Arkhangelsk Region , construction of a training ground intended for the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) R-7 , the current Plesetsk cosmodrome, began .

On October 4, 1957, the spacecraft launch and control parts launched the first artificial Earth satellite “PS-1” and controlled it, and on April 12, 1961, launched and controlled the flight of the world's first manned spacecraft “Vostok” with cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on board. Subsequently, all domestic and international space programs were carried out with the direct participation of military units for the launch and control of spacecraft.

In 1964, to centralize work on the creation of new facilities, as well as to quickly resolve issues related to the use of space assets, the Central Office for Space Facilities ( TSUKOS ) of the Strategic Missile Forces (Strategic Missile Forces) was created. In 1970, it was reorganized into the Main Directorate of Space Facilities ( GUKOS ) of the Strategic Missile Forces.

In order to overcome the contradiction between the interspecific nature of the tasks being solved and the species subordination of military space, the USSR Ministry of Defense ( USSR Ministry of Defense) in 1981 decided to remove GUKOS from the Strategic Rocket Forces and submit it directly to the General Staff . In 1986, GUKOS was transformed into the Office of the Chief of Space Facilities of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

In 1992, the Office of the Chief of Space Facilities was transformed into the branch of the central subordination forces - the Military Space Forces ( VKS ) ^[3] . They included the Baikonur, Plesetsk, Svobodny cosmodromes (in 1996), as well as the German and Titov Main Testing and Control Center for Spacecraft for Military and Civil Use, located in Krasnoznamensk (Object 413, Golitsyno-2). The units of the space forces are also located in Olenegorsk and the village of Lehtusi (Leningrad Region).

In 1997, the Space Forces were included in the Strategic Missile Forces to increase the effectiveness of command and control and to save the defense budget. However, this objectively led to the emergence of an intermediate link for military space administration, which sharply reduced the efficiency of decision-making and led to a redistribution of allocations and resources allocated to space.

In connection with the increasing role of space assets in the military and national security system of Russia, by Decree of the President, on the basis of associations, formations and units of launch and rocket and space defense (RKO) allocated from the Strategic Rocket Forces, on June 1, 2001 an independent type of troops was created - Space Forces ^{[4 ]} .

It was taken into account that space forces and means, forces and means of missile defense systems have a single sphere of solving problems - space, as well as close cooperation of industrial enterprises, ensuring the creation and development of weapons .

Until 2009, the Space Forces included:

• Command of the Space Forces ;
• 3rd Separate Special Forces Rocket and Defense Army:
  • 1st Missile Warning Division (former 3rd Separate Missile Warning Army)
  • 9th Missile Defense Division (former 9th Separate Missile Defense Corps),
  • The 45th Division for Outer Space Control (the former 18th separate corps of space defense and space control).

December 1, 2011, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated May 10, 2011 “On Amending the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation”, the Space Forces are part of the Air and Space Defense Forces ^[5] .

On August 1, 2015, the Space Forces were recreated as a branch of the Air and Space Forces .

• Space Command
  • 15th Army of the Aerospace Forces (Special Purpose)
    • Main Testing Center named after G.S. Titov
    • Main Missile Attack Warning Center
    • Main Space Intelligence Center
  • State Testing Spaceport "Plesetsk"
    • space testing and application centers
    • separate scientific research station ( Kura training ground )
  • Arsenal

The orbital satellite constellation of Russia in September 2015 is the second largest in the world and consists of 149 devices. Together with the orbital groupings of the CIS countries - 167 vehicles.

The largest orbital grouping is possessed by the USA, which owns 446 artificial satellites. In third place is China with 120+ satellites. India maintains in polar orbits 40+ active satellites for Earth surveys ^[6] .

• Strategic Missile Forces Central Command (TsUKOS) of the Strategic Missile Forces (Strategic Missile Forces) (1964-1970)
• General Directorate of Space Facilities (GUKOS) of the Strategic Missile Forces (Strategic Missile Forces) (1970-1981)
• General Directorate of Space Facilities (GUKOS) of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR (1981-1986)
• Office of the Chief of Space Facilities (UNSC) of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR (1986-1992)
• Military Space Forces (VKS) (1992-1997)
• Military Units and Institutions for Launching and Control of Spacecraft of the Strategic Missile Forces (Strategic Rocket Forces) (1997-2001)
• Space Forces (HF) (2001—2011)
• Space Command (SC) of the Aerospace Defense Forces (VVKO) (from December 1, 2011 - August 1, 2015)
• Space Forces (HF) Aerospace Forces (from August 1, 2015)

• 1964-1965 - K.A.-A. Karimov
• 1965-1979 - A. G. Karas
• 1979-1989 - A.A. Maksimov
• 1989-1996 - V. L. Ivanov
• 2001-2004 - A. N. Perminov
• 2004-2008 - V. A. Popovkin
• 2008—2011 - O. N. Ostapenko
• 2012 - V. M. Ivanov - interim
• December 2012 - A.V. Golovko

The training of officers for the space forces involved in:

• Military Space Academy named after A.F. Mozhaisky
• Military Academy of Aerospace Defense named after Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov

By order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR of August 3, 1960 , on the eve of the third anniversary of the launch of the first artificial Earth satellite, October 4 was set to "KIK Day."

In accordance with the decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 10.12.1995 No. 1239 ^[7] October 4 became an official holiday - the Day of Strategic Rocket Forces and the Day of the Military Space Forces.

According to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation of October 3, 2002 ^[8] , October 4 is the Day of Space Forces . The holiday is timed to the day of the launch of the first artificial Earth satellite, which opened the annals of astronautics , including the military.

• The main testing center for testing and control of space assets
• Military Space Academy named after A.F. Mozhaisky
• SOI
• Crohn (radio-optical complex)
• Radar "Voronezh"
• The 14th Air Army (USA) is a similar formation in the US Air Force.

Space troops on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Russia