Published on: 2026-04-10
Source: Saint Petersburg State Architectural and Civil Engineering University –
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April 12 marks the 65th anniversary of the first human space flight – an event that opened a new era in the history of humanity. On this day in 1961Yuri GagarinOn the spacecraft “Vostok-1”, the first orbital flight around the Earth was made.
However, this breakthrough became possible thanks to colossal work that began long before 1961. The most important role in the formation of the space industry was played by military builders, engineers, and scientists, among whom graduates of the Leningrad Engineering and Construction Institute (LISI, today SPbGASU) hold a special place.
Baikonur: construction ahead of schedule
The decision to create the Baikonur cosmodrome was made on February 12, 1955. In the shortest possible time, under the conditions of the Kazakh desert, without developed infrastructure, large-scale construction work was deployed.
By 1957, key facilities had already been constructed here: launch complexes, assembly and test buildings, command posts, and measurement systems. On October 4, 1957, the world’s first artificial Earth satellite was launched from Baikonur, marking the beginning of the space age.
A special role in the construction of the cosmodrome belongs to a LISY graduateTo Georgy Shubnikov.Under his leadership, in the most difficult natural conditions, military builders erected unique and grandiose cosmodrome structures. It is precisely thanks to their work that Baikonur became the largest rocket and spacecraft launch site in the world.
Many graduates of the military-construction faculty of LISi, directed to the construction of this strategic facility, also took part in the creation of the cosmodrome immediately after graduation.
LISI engineers in advanced defense science
The military construction faculty of LISI was established in the early 1950s to train specialists capable of solving construction tasks for special-purpose facilities. Graduates of the faculty served throughout the territory of the Soviet Union — from the western borders to the Far East, from the Arctic regions to Central Asia.
They participated in the creation of:
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cosmodromes, including Baikonur and Plesetsk;
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anti-missile defense systems;
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missile attack warning systems;
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naval bases and strategic facilities.
In particular, faculty graduates took part in the construction of the Sary-Shagan test site, where the world’s first anti-missile defense system was created. On March 4, 1961, the world’s first test of a ballistic missile warhead was carried out there.
From “Energiya” to “Buran”: the contribution of graduates to space projects
A new stage in the development of domestic cosmonautics was the “Energia-Buran” program, the start of which was given in 1976. This is one of the largest scientific and technical projects of the 20th century, having no analogues in terms of scale of cooperation and volume of work.
Within the Baikonur program, unique facilities were constructed:
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The largest oxygen-nitrogen and cryogenic production facilities in Europe;
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the most powerful launch complexes;
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high-precision takeoff and landing strip;
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hundreds of specialized facilities.
A graduate of LISI participated in the implementation of the projectAlexander Orlov.Having graduated from the institute in 1963, he followed the path of a military builder, working on strategic facilities across the country, and in 1981 was sent to Baikonur.
Alexander Orlovwas responsible for the construction of facilities at one of the cosmodrome sites and directly participated in the preparation of the infrastructure for launches.
On May 15, 1987, the first launch of the Energia launch vehicle took place, and on November 15, 1988, the launch of the reusable spacecraft Buran occurred. The spacecraft successfully completed the flight in automatic mode and made an accurate landing at the Baikonur airfield, becoming a symbol of engineering triumph.
A school tested by time
Over the years of its existence, the military construction faculty of LISI has trained about 600 specialists who have made a significant contribution to strengthening the country’s defense capabilities. They ensured the construction of facilities on which the security of the state depended, and participated in the implementation of the largest projects of their era.
Under the conditions of the ‘cold war,’ precisely their labor became an important part of creating the country’s missile-nuclear shield. In the harshest conditions, often isolated from the industrial base, military builders erected unique facilities that had no analogues in the world.
Heritage of the space era
Today SPBGASU continues the tradition of training highly qualified specialists in the field of construction and engineering. The history of its graduates’ participation in the creation of cosmodromes, defense systems, and space programs is an integral part of the university’s and the entire country’s history.
On Cosmonautics Day, we recall with special pride the contribution of LISIs – SPbGASU graduates – to space exploration. Their work, professionalism, and dedication to the cause have become the main achievements that forever changed the course of world history.
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