From the history of space research in Ukraine. 1. The performance of space research as of 1991 year

The article displays the material of 1991 from the author’s archive, which is devoted to the problems of space research arrangement and the space industry authority in independent Ukraine. A brief description of the space research level in Ukraine at that time is given. The active participation of Ukraine in the activity of international organizations and the implementation of USSR space programs are highlighted. The significant achievements and acquirements of scientific and design teams in the space research branch are emphasized. Among them, there were the rocket design center DB “Pivdenne” (now — Yangel Yuzhnoye State Design Office), E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of NAS of Ukraine, and many other enterprises and scientific institutions in Ukraine. In new conditions, under the newly acquired independence, the formidable task of preserving the aerospace industry of Ukraine arose. Within this task, it was necessary to preserve scientific and developing potential and to provide perspectives for scientific and technical progress. All this was possible only within the framework of the concept that had to be developed and which would contain the main goals of the national politics of Ukraine as an independent state in the branch of exploration and exploitation of space. It was necessary to create the aerospace agency of Ukraine for the coordination of space programs and to develop a law to regulate its activities. One more task was to adopt the state program of space exploration by the Verkhovna Rada, the program, which had to provide for the progress of fundamental and applied space research.