The Russian Space Forces were established in 1992. Main rocket launch pads are Baikonur and Plesetsk Cosmodromes, Svobodniy Cosmodrome. Ther are several research facilities located at the Mozhayskiy Military Space Engineering Academy and the Central Scientific Research Institute on Space Technology. Flight Control Center is located at the Kaliningrad former Kongsberg (East Prussia). The creation of space forces and establishment of space troops was direct response to other nation’s space building efforts especially by USA and UE. It was also driven by trying to preserve single command of disperse space centers established during Soviet Union.

Space Forces is fundamentally new branch of armed forced and its major role to provide safety of Russia from outer space. It is design as early warning system that detects incoming missiles. It is also design to spy from high above and provide real time information to ground forces as one integrated with ground forces system. Recently it is being used to guide cruise missile to a target as well as provide around the world communication.

Beside obvious military uses, Space Forces are utilized for other social and economic purposes. It is viewed as a major part in political, military and economic National Security. Program also covers establishment of Russian analog to US based GPS system, called GLONAS.