Department of Geospatial Support and Application of Space Systems

Head of the Department
Doctor of Technical Sciences (Dr.Sc.), Senior Research Fellow Laureate of the Borys Paton National Prize of Ukraine
Colonel Mykhailo Rakushev

The Department of Geospatial Support and Space Systems Application is an academic unit of the Institute of Logistics and Forces Support at the National Defence University of Ukraine.

The Department is the leading academic unit responsible for educating and graduating officers with Higher Military Operational Education and the degree of Master of Military Management through resident and distance learning programs in the specialty K6 “Forces Support”, with the following specializations:

• Military Space Systems Organization and Employment

• Topogeodetic and Navigation Support of Forces

The Department contributes to:

• the education and training of highly qualified military professionals under second-cycle (Master’s level) higher education programs for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other components of the Security and Defence Sector, across the University’s academic specialties and professional tracks;

• the delivery of Professional Military Education (PME) courses, including programs for senior leadership at the strategic level (L-4) and for joint operational headquarters at the operational level (L-3), as well as advanced professional development courses;

• the preparation of highly qualified academic and research personnel (Doctor of Science and PhD) under third-cycle (doctoral level) educational and research programs in the specialty K6 “Forces Support” for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other defence and security institutions.

History of the Department

The history of the Department of Geospatial Support and Space Systems Application reflects the development of two closely interconnected academic and professional areas:

• space systems employment in military operations;

• geospatial (geoinformation) support to military operations.

Development of the Space Systems Application Area

The Department traces its origins to 4 October 2000, when the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted Resolution No. 164 establishing the Faculty for Operational-Level Air Force Officer Training at the National Academy of Defence of Ukraine.

Following this decision, the Department of Aviation Combat Support was established within the Faculty.
The first Head of the Department was Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Colonel Oleh Mashkov.

In 2003, the department was renamed the Department of Aviation Combat Support and Space Systems Application and was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Honored Inventor of Ukraine, Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine, Colonel Serhii Kozelkov.

In 2004, the department was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Colonel Oleh Barabash.

In 2007, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Colonel Serhii Tyshchuk was appointed Head of the Department of Space Systems Application.

From 2008 to 2010, the department was led by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine in Science and Technology, Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, Colonel Yurii Danyk.

From 2010 to 2011, training in the specialization “Military Space Systems Organization” was conducted by the Department of High-Technology Systems Application, headed by Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Colonel Yurii Pribyliev.

Development of the Geospatial Support Area

In parallel with the development of space systems employment, the field of geospatial support to military operations was also evolving.

In 2002, a Subject-Methodological Commission on Topogeodetic and Navigation Support was established at the Department of Missile Forces and Artillery within the Faculty of Land Forces and Artillery at the National Academy of Defence of Ukraine.
The commission was chaired by Candidate of Military Sciences, Professor, Colonel Viktor Tarasov.

In 2007, the Department of Operational and Combat Support was established within the Operational-Level Faculty, headed by Candidate of Military Sciences, Professor, Colonel Valerii Lisnevskyi.

From 2010 to 2011, within the Institute of Information Technologies of the National Defence University of Ukraine, the department was reorganized into the Department of Geoinformation Support, headed by Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Colonel Oleksandr Chornoknyzhnyi.

Integration of Space Systems and Geospatial Support

In 2011, a decision was made to merge three departments and establish the Department of Information Technologies, High-Technology Systems, and Geoinformation Support.
The department continued to be headed by Colonel Oleksandr Chornoknyzhnyi.

In 2012, following organizational restructuring, the department was renamed the Department of Space Systems Application and Geoinformation Support, with Colonel Yurii Pribyliev appointed as Head of the Department.

In 2014, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, Colonel Ihor Varlamov assumed leadership of the department.

In 2019, the department became part of the Institute of Logistics and Forces Support and was renamed the Department of Geospatial Support and Space Systems Application.

In 2025, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Senior Research Fellow, Laureate of the Borys Paton National Prize of Ukraine, Colonel Mykhailo Rakushev was appointed Head of the Department.

Over time, the Department has evolved from several independent academic directions into a modern educational and research unit responsible for preparing highly qualified military specialists in geospatial support and the employment of space capabilities in military operations.

Structure of the Department

The Department of Geospatial Support and Space Systems Application includes:

• Head of the Department;
• faculty members and research staff;
• educational and research laboratory;
• doctoral candidates and military postgraduate researchers (adjuncts).