Today we’ll visit a unique complex of space monitoring located 9 km away from the Tajik city of Nurek.
The place was chosen in 1970 due to its atmospheric properties such as transparency and stability and number of clear night hours (over 1500 hours a year). Places with similar parameters can be found in the Caucasus and in Tajikistan. However, the complex of Nurek city is located more to the south and embraces a greater amount of objects.
The complex is a property of the Russian Aerospace Security Forces and since 1999 has been functioning as normal. It is called Okno or Window and is capable of detecting, identifying and finding orbits of space objects located 2000-40000 km high and over 1 meter in size. The road to the complex saw last repairs long time ago and is supplied with an indicator warning that there is no passage.
The computer centre. The working principle of the complex is rather simple and allows to discover space objects considering the light they are reflecting.
Space monitoring is carried out at night when both old and new objects are immediately fixed. The catalog of the complex includes 9000 space objects in general. Space communications systems.
Agitation is of a great importance here just like anywhere in the army. The entrance to the computer center is decorated with a sign saying that ‘military duty is the best way of combat readiness support’
The domes represent the complexes of space probing. They are not functioning in the afternoon and are closed.
Water reservoir of the hydro power plant in Nurek.
This is a summer house of Tajikistan President, by the way.
All incoming data are seen on the monitor. The monitors are switched off in the afternoon.
The military unit was awarded with the banner by Commander of Russian Space Troops.
Officers here sit a lot while working and have simulators to exercise from time to time.
Dining room.
Menu: sugar, milk, sour-cream, eggs, bread, coffee for breakfast, soups, juice, meat, porridge, spaghetti for lunch, and fish, smashed potatoes, cheese, tea, sausage for supper.
Space Troops are Russian Pride.
Some objects have names of their own. This one is named after Noginsk city in the Moscow region as officers of the unit are in good relations with the city administration and their kids go to schools which are official branches of Noginsk schools in Nurek.
This dome is opened.
The dome can be opened with the help of a system that will seem simple to anyone with a degree in technical sciences.
Rotation of the telescope is carried out in several planes.
This very object is under maintenance service right now.
A part of the complex if observed from the helicopter ground.
The complex is surrounded by the hence under voltage. ‘Border of the post’
This view is opened from President’s summer house.
Abandoned barracks that had been used by soldiers till 1990 can be seen in the picture. Following the civi lwar in Tajikistan when number of people present at the object were reduced to minimum the barracks were left and abandoned. Now soldiers stay in official housing in Nurek. Those who don’t have a family of their own have to share rooms.
Officers raised money to build the church.
The sports ground is occupied by officers in the morning.
Location: Nurek
via abra-akbar
I love that. In a city where I used to live there is a similar facility. It was mainly for American NASA
And “Smashed potatoes” for breakfast. My favorite.
I know what you are talking about the facility was used in the early space flight days for tracking purposes they used it for some time into the 70′s I am not sure if it is still in use or not.
I’m intrigued by the geodesic raised panels that the domes are made of. Is each one a separate module that the domes are assembled from? Surely they must have form to their function. I can’t believe the Soviets would have made a technical installation look awesome like that just for the sake of it.
Thanks for the peek into a cool place. One question: Is this where they tracked “space monkey?”
Eye in the sky ! ! ! ! ! !why Tajik authorities don’t took over this facility ? ? ? Due to lack of “technical” Know how or financial difficulties ? ? ? or justifying the “presence” of Russian military units ! ! ! ! ! !
Because they have no need for such a system. What would they use it for? And Russians are paying for it. Also, Russian military “presence” in Tajikistan is justified by the fact that two countries form military alliance which has saved the country from Taliban invasion.
Someone should paint these to resemble the smiley faces.
Beam me up SCotty.
Tajik is not a Russia.
They really did land on the moon two ways to prove it one is that they left a laser that points back towards earth this laser is still active it was placed there to measure the variation of the moon and earth as they move through space.
The other is that with a powerful telescope the kind found at an observatory if one looks and the landing sights you can still see the materiel left behind only part of the lunar lander came back form each moon mission and they also had to leave the lunar cars behind all of these can be seen.
I agree with your distrust of the US government but in the same breath you seem to think that you can trust the Russian government when the fact is that no mater the origin or nation the government that happens to be the current world power(currently the US) will do the same things.
Until people see the world and the people in for what they are and not what some power or group tells them this will never change perhaps the name of the nation may change but the status qua will not.
yojimbo, so right. We are all just people trying to live our life.
When there is peace in our hearts we will have peace in our world.
NASA recently released photographs of the lunar landing sights taken from Earth. I consider the idea that Apollo was a fraud as silly. It may have been possible to fake one landing, but six? Not very likely. FOX news had some absurd special claiming the moon landings were fake several years ago, I don’t believe anything FOX news says.
Archy, try telling Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin they didn’t really land on the moon. I can still remember watching that awesome “small step for man” at my high school hall on TV.
The whole idea’s absurd, sour grapes.
Re: the Moon Landing Hoax thing… Buzz Aldrin finally got fed up with being harassed by that “moon hoax” guy and punched him in the face.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOo6aHSY8hU