The Russian Space Research Institute (, Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, SRI RAS, Russian abbreviation: ИКИ РАН, IKI RAN) is the leading organization of the Russian Academy of Sciences on space exploration to benefit fundamental science. It was formerly known as the Space Research Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Russian abbr.: ИКИ АН СССР, IKI AN SSSR). It is usually known by the shorter name Space Research Institute and especially by the initialism IKI. The institute is located in Moscow with a staff of 289 scientists. It conducts scientific research in the fields of astrophysics, planetary science, solar physics, Sun-Earth relations, cosmic plasma, and geophysics. IKI also develops and tests space technologies in collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Federal Space Agency.

History

It was founded on May 15, 1965, by the Soviet Union's Council of Ministers decree #392-147. Initially, the institute formed its staff by drawing scientists from other research organizations. With time, it grew to two thousand employees, including those in a few branches located elsewhere in the country. In 1992, a year after the dissolution of the Soviet Union it was rechristened with its present name.

Directors of the institute

Research

The institute engages in research in the following areas:

Current missions and experiments

Additionally, IKI's scientists belong to various international collaborations on a number of science projects, such as IBEX and Planck, and are engaged in studies with Earth-based facilities.