The Space Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were created in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of March 24, 2001. The first parts and institutions of launch and management of spacecraft began to be created in our country in 1955 with the decision on the construction of a landfill in Kazakhstan for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles (now – Baikonur cosmodrome).
In connection with the preparation for the launch of the first artificial satellite of the Earth in 1957, a command and measuring complex of spacecraft management was created. In the same year, the construction of a landfill was launched in the Arkhangelsk region, intended for the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missiles (now – Plesetsk cosmodrome).
On October 4, 1957, part of the launch and control of spacecraft were launched by the first artificial satellite of the land “PS-1”, and on April 12, 1961 – the launch and control over the flight of the first in the world of the piloted spacecraft “East” with an astronaut Yuri Gagarin. In the future, all domestic and international space programs were carried out with the participation of associations, connections and parts of the launch and control of spacecraft.
For the organization of space activities in 1960, the 3rd department of the Main Directorate of Rocket Arms was established in the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, which in 1964 was transformed into the central control of the space funds of the Ministry of Defense, and in 1970 – to the Main Department of Space Media MO USSR. In 1982, Gukos and the subordinate parts were brought from the rocket troops of strategic appointment and were subordinated directly to the USSR Defense Minister – created the Office of the Head of Cosmic Media of the Ministry of Defense.
In August 1992, the Military Space Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation were created, which included Baikonur cosmodromes, Plesetsk and since 1994, a free cosmodrome, as well as the main test center for testing and management of space funds, the Military Engineering Space Academy and 50 CNII MO RF.
Since 1957, parts and institutions of start-up and control of spacecraft provided launch and control of flights of more than 3,000 spacecraft, perform tasks to ensure national security in the space sphere, participate in the implementation of all joint international manned projects and projects of the fundamental research of long-range space . In close collaboration with the wide cooperation of scientific and industrial organizations, flight tests of more than 250 types of military, socio-economic and scientific spacecraft were carried out.