The book, written on the basis of domestic and foreign sources, tells about the creation and launch in the USSR of the world's first artificial Earth satellites (ISS), about theoretical issues that needed to be resolved at the same time. It consistently outlines the stages of space exploration, starting with the implementation of uninhabited and unmanned artificial satellite of the Earth and ending with the presentation of the issues of creating interplanetary stations and spacecraft. A brief list of tasks that will be solved by satellite and space stations. Several projects of artificial satellites of the Earth, space rockets and interplanetary stations are described The principles of control and astro-orientation of the satellite during its orbital flight are considered. Description of a number of the most important instruments installed on the satellite. The book is designed for soldiers of the Soviet Army, Aviation and Navy, so it pays attention to the description of the military significance of the satellite and interplanetary stations. In general, the author sought not to overload the book with technical details and presented the material in the form as popular and accessible to the general reader as possible.