RUSSIAN SPACE TROOPS MAIN TESTING CENTRE BEING CHECKED

MOSCOW, MARCH 10. /RIA NOVOSTI / -- The military inspection of the Russian Defence Ministry has got down to checking the combat efficiency of the main testing centre of the Russian Space Troops. The goal: "Establishing the centre's readiness for meeting the goals set", RIA Novosti was told at the Space Troops' press centre.

The centre, bearing the name of Russian cosmonaut German Titov, makes tests of military and non-military satellites, ensures their orbiting. In addition, the centre controls the equipment aboard Russian satellites in orbit and receives arriving information.

According to the press service of the Space Troops, last year the Titov centre held about 250,000 communications sessions with spacecraft and ensured 20 carrier-rocket launches. Throughout its history, the centre has ensured the launch of over 3,000 spacecraft and held flying tests of over 250 types of satellites. Specialists of the centre have participated in the carrying out of all the joint international manned projects, projects in fundamental exploration of far-out space.