The primary Soviet deep space tracking station, NIP 16 - Evpatoria hosted the Pluton radio telescope. Initially constructed in 1958 as a temporary VHF phased array to communicate with early Luna probes, it received three powerful ADU-1000 radio telescopes in 1960, which were the largest and most powerful radio telescopes in the world until the DSN upgrades in 1966. Later received a Saturn-MS complex with 32-meter P-400 radio telescopes in 1971, and the P-2500 70-meter radio telescope in 1980, bringing X-band capabilities. Also included is the nearby TNA-400 32-meter VHF radio telescope located in Simferopol, constructed 1962.
Created in 1963 to increase the coverage of ground stations, NIP 15 - Ussuriysk had a "Zarya" VHF complex installed to relay voice and TV signals from Vostok-6, which was upgraded to a RTS-9/MA-9 VHF complex around 1967 for Soyuz. It had a Saturn-MS complex with P-200 and P-400 radio telescopes installed in 1971, and later received a P-2500 70-meter radio telescope in 1985.
Created in 1963 to consolidate ground control operations, NIP 14 - Shchelkovo was located just outside Moscow with a "Zarya" VHF complex installed to relay voice and TV signals from Vostok-6, which was upgraded to a RTS-9/MA-9 VHF complex around 1967 for Soyuz. A Saturn-MK complex equipped with P-200 radio telescopes was installed in 1971. A Taman-Baza-M complex was added 1982(?) to provide S-band command and data channels for GLONASS and other Soviet military satellites.
These three stations were linked with the Kvant-D complex in the 1980s, and formed the primary command and control network for Soviet deep space probes and manned spaceflight, with the NIP-14 station still used to this day for control of the Russian portion of the ISS.
Add NIP 14 - Shchelkovo, NIP 15 - Ussuriysk, and NIP 16 - Evpatoria ground stations.
The primary Soviet deep space tracking station, NIP 16 - Evpatoria hosted the Pluton radio telescope. Initially constructed in 1958 as a temporary VHF phased array to communicate with early Luna probes, it received three powerful ADU-1000 radio telescopes in 1960, which were the largest and most powerful radio telescopes in the world until the DSN upgrades in 1966. Later received a Saturn-MS complex with 32-meter P-400 radio telescopes in 1971, and the P-2500 70-meter radio telescope in 1980, bringing X-band capabilities. Also included is the nearby TNA-400 32-meter VHF radio telescope located in Simferopol, constructed 1962.
Created in 1963 to increase the coverage of ground stations, NIP 15 - Ussuriysk had a "Zarya" VHF complex installed to relay voice and TV signals from Vostok-6, which was upgraded to a RTS-9/MA-9 VHF complex around 1967 for Soyuz. It had a Saturn-MS complex with P-200 and P-400 radio telescopes installed in 1971, and later received a P-2500 70-meter radio telescope in 1985.
Created in 1963 to consolidate ground control operations, NIP 14 - Shchelkovo was located just outside Moscow with a "Zarya" VHF complex installed to relay voice and TV signals from Vostok-6, which was upgraded to a RTS-9/MA-9 VHF complex around 1967 for Soyuz. A Saturn-MK complex equipped with P-200 radio telescopes was installed in 1971. A Taman-Baza-M complex was added 1982(?) to provide S-band command and data channels for GLONASS and other Soviet military satellites.
These three stations were linked with the Kvant-D complex in the 1980s, and formed the primary command and control network for Soviet deep space probes and manned spaceflight, with the NIP-14 station still used to this day for control of the Russian portion of the ISS.