Russian Space Forces Day Date in the current year: October 4, 2024

The first space forces in the Soviet Union were formed in 1955, following the decree for Scientific Research Test Range No. 5 (now known as Baikonur Cosmodrome). The Russian Space Forces were officially formed in 2001 as an independent section of the Russian Armed Forces. In 2001, the branch was dissolved and reorganized as the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces. In 2015, the Russian Space Forces were reestablished as one of the three sub-branches of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

The main tasks of the Russian Space Forces are to promptly inform military commanders of missile attacks and to create, deploy, maintain and control in-orbit space vehicles. The Space Forces are also responsible for ballistic missile defense.

Space Forces Day in Russia is celebrated on October 4 to commemorate the anniversary of the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 1. It was launched on October 4, 1957 by the Soviet Union, laying the foundation for the space era.

In 1960, the Ministry of Defense of the USSR declared October 4 as the Day of the Command and Measurement Complex to commemorate the third anniversary of the launch. In 1995, the President of the Russian Federation established October 4 as Space Forces Day.