Space Soviet Command & Control

H. H. F. Smid. (1991), JBIS, 44, pp.525-533

Refcode: 1991.44.525

Abstract:

Although the annual number of Soviet launches is declining, the number of operational satellites and spacecraft in Earth’ orbit slightly increases. Effectively, the Soviet presence in space is increasing and this places a growing demand on their Space Command & Control (SC&C) facilities. The assessment of Soviet space capabilities should therefore not be limited to numbers of launches and satellites alone. Space surveillance, communication, and tracking, telemetry and control (TT&C) are vital to their space program. These parts of the Soviet space organization are still not affected by glasnost and are largely kept secret. This report on literature research, although not complete, presents an organization only partly analogous to the U.S. Space Command’s world wide network. Because of its vastness and high latitudes the Soviet Union is able to keep track of most low-altitude, high-inclination satellites from land based ground stations on their own territory, but for the remainder some land based tracking stations within friendly countries and a fleet of ocean-going space support ships are operated. Space based resources are used to complement those on land and sea.