Vorkuta NIP-18 tracking station

In 1956, the Soviet government approved the use of the R-7 missile for the launch of the artificial satellite. The special command and control infrastructure was now required to support the program. On May 8, 1957, the Soviet Ministry of Defense officially ordered to form a "Center on management and coordination of work of complex of means of measurements, communications and unified time service" and 13 detached Scientific Measurement Stations, or NIP.

NIP-18 in Vorkuta was built to support space launches from Plesetsk, which both entered service in 1966.

Lots of radar domes and a huge interesting array that looks like a deep space network further to the south.