Space

Ministry of General Machine-building of USSR (MOM)

Ministerstvo obshchego mashinostroeniya SSSR (MOM)
Minobshchemash

Mission: management of research, development and production on strategic ballistic missiles and space technology
Subordination: Military-Industrial Commission of USSR Council of Ministers
Alternative name: Minobshchemash

The Ministry was disbanded in late 1991. Its functions (with respect to Russian part of missile and space industry) were split between the Ministry of Economy of Russia, Committee on Defense Branches of Industry and the Russian Space Agency.

Projects participated

MOM was in charge of all strategic ballistic missiles, space launch vehicle and satellites, developed in the Soviet Union between 1965 and 1991. (The only exception was solid-fueled missiles, developed by Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, which reported to the Ministry of Defense Industry of USSR.)

Organizational Structure

MOM was headed by the Minister and had a Scientific and Technical Council and a Collegium as dedicated bodies for strategic planning and routine control resp. Major subdivisions of the Ministry were Main Administrations (Glavnoe upravlenie or glavk), each supervising an individual direction of activity. The complex of buildings of the Ministry of General Mechanical Engineering of the USSR on the Miusskaya square in Moscow.

The main headquarters for combat missile technology was the 1st Main Directorat. In fact, the scope of activity of the 1st Main Directorate was much broader. The head of the scientific and technical department of the 1st Main Directorate, in the late 1980s was responsible for research and development work on strategic missile systems, anti-ship missile complexes, some launch vehicles and space vehicles. In addition, for what was considered very important, for the production of equipment for meat and dairy, bakery production, medical products and many other consumer goods. The last group of tasks went to the USSR's Ministry of Light Industry, which was liquidated in 1988.

In its activity, the 1st Main Directorate closely interacted with the 2nd Main Directorate, which was responsible for sea rockets and engines. The 4th Main Directorate (launchers as a whole and its elements), the 5th Main Directorate ( combat control system and control system), the 7th Main Directorate (tests, work in the troops), the 8th Main Directorate (funding, scientific research). The sphere of activity of the 7th Main Directorate was the deployment of missile systems for the watch and the maintenance by industry of their operation.

It is interesting that when the USSR Minobshchemash in November 1991, after many cuts and transformations, was liquidated, the specialists of its divisions, having created various independent joint-stock companies, continued to work in close contact and, without any formal rights, continued to supervise the work of enterprises. Like the famous orchestra on the Sinking Titanic. In order to stop this incomprehensible activity for the reformers, the remaining specialists of the USSR Ministry of Defense had to be evicted from their building on the Miusskaya square.

Departmental relationships

MOM reported to the Commission of the Presidium of USSR Council of Ministers on Military Industrial Issues (Military-Industrial Commission, or VPK) and coordinated its activity with other 8 military-industrial Ministries, managed by VPK.