The Titov Main Test and Space Systems Control Centre (also referenced as the Titov Space Control Centre and the Titov Space Centre) is the main Russian military and commercial satellite control centre, responsible also for control of Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles. Located roughly 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest of Moscow in the formerly closed town of Krasnoznamensk, the centre was built in 1957 as part of the Soviet space program, and was known by the name of Golitsyno-2.
A resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of 30 January 1956 provided for the establishment of a command and control complex for the first flight satellites. Work on the construction of the centre began on May 8, 1957. GITSIU COP and subordinate military units together with the Mission Control Centre support the entire space programme. The military is responsible for the condition of many domestic orbital systems — military, scientific, manned and other. Specialists at the main centre started working with the first launches, first artificial satellite, the first manned flight into space. They also worked on Soviet Moonwalkers (lunokhody), and on the programme for the orbital station Mir, right up until the last seconds of its existence. Now among their many tasks is work with the International Space Station Alpha. Currently the Centre manages 75% of the domestic Russian orbital spacecraft constellation. By order of the Russian President on 14 August 2001, the centre was named after Gherman Titov, to honour the second human to orbit the Earth, who had been one of the leaders of the Centre.
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