Institute of Applied Astronomy

The Institute of Applied Astronomy is a research facility of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg focused on radio astronomy, celestial mechanics, and space geodesy. The organization operates multiple observatories at different locations across Russia and conducts measurements important for satellite navigation and tracking space objects.

The institute was founded in 1987 by order of the USSR Academy of Sciences and received its current name through a 2011 resolution. The facility grew from the need to conduct precise observations for Soviet space programs.

Scientists at the institute contribute to international astronomical research by publishing yearly almanacs and maintaining precise coordinate-time measurements.

The main facility sits at 10 Kutuzova Embankment in Saint Petersburg with specialized equipment for observations. Visitors should note this is an active research facility and access may be limited.

The institute conducted radar observations of object 2020 SO and identified it as a possible leftover from the Soviet lunar program. This discovery showed that long-lost spacecraft components can still be found today through precise tracking.